A New Greatness
by Eaglehaze
Summary: The Great Battle is over and a new era of peace is in hold but a new prophecy is about to be unravelled. As we all know, peace doesn't last forever and there is trouble around every corner... First fanfic, rated T to be safe (rubbish at summaries)
1. Chapter 1

Allegiances

Leader:

Bramblestar-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy:

Squirrelflight-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat:

Jayfeather-grey tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Apprentice Briarlight-dark brown she-cat with crippled back legs

Warriors:

Brackenfur-golden brown tabby tom

Cloudtail-long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Brightheart-white she-cat with ginger patches

Thornclaw-golden brown tabby tom

Leafpool-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

Spiderleg-long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall-light brown tabby tom

Whitewing-white she-cat with green eyes

Mousewhisker-grey-and-white tom

Apprentice Snowpaw

Berrynose-cream-coloured tom

Hazletail-small grey-and-white she-cat

Apprentice Dewpaw

Poppyfrost-tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze-golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Icecloud-white she-cat

Apprentice Lillypaw

Foxleap-reddish tabby tom

Rosepetal-dark cream she-cat

Apprentice Amberpaw

Toadstep-black-and-white tom

Apprentice Seedpaw

Blossomfall-dark brown she-cat

Bumblestripe-very pale grey tom with black stripes

Dovewing-pale grey she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool-silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Apprentices:

Seedpaw-very pale ginger she-cat

Lillypaw-dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Snowpaw-white tom with amber eyes

Dewpaw-grey tom with amber eyes

Amberpaw-grey she cat with white markings and amber eyes

Queens:

Cinderheart-grey tabby she-cat(nursing Eaglekit, Wolfkit, Leopardkit, Lightningkit and Stormkit almost ready to become apprentices. She is also fostering Redkit, Flashkit, Fawnkit and Owlkit who were saved from rouges. They are just over four moons old.)

Squirrelflight- Nursing Firekit and Jaggedkit who are just over three moons old.

Daisy-cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

Elders:

Purdy-plump tabby former loner with a grey muzzle

Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Greystripe-long-haired grey tom

Millie-striped grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Dustpelt-dark brown tabby tom


	2. Chapter 2

Prologue

The wind blew carelessly through the swaying trees as the cats gathered together. A cat with with a pelt blue as water, a cat with an attitude sharp as thorns, a cat with strength to match the Clans of old, a cat with the tangled history and a cat with fur bright and fierce as flame. There they sat at the waters edge, arguing.

"But we don't even know what it could mean." Insisted the grey pelted cat. "Why should we pass this down to our Clan when we don't even know where it came from or what it could do?"

"I understand your concerns Yellowfang, but it isn't fair to keep this from them, they have a right to know." insisted the yellow pelted one. Yellowfang snorted.

"This is not our doing." Stated the one with black fur, "this might just be natural abilities that no one could have foreseen. There is no need to trouble them with a meaningless prophecy that will only worry them."

The one with a flaming pelt looked at her proudly, "That is right Hollyleaf, we have no business telling our Clan to beware or to unfairly suspect Clanmates who have no control over their abilities."

"Why are you so naive Firestar? What if they get swayed to the Dark Forest and use this power for their benefit. Jayfeather must be warned. He can keep a secret if anyone could and he can keep an eye on them, or a scent anyway." Hissed Yellowfang.

Hollyleaf stood up and glared at the old she-cat, "You are talking about my brother's kits!" She snarled, "Do you think they will go without him noticing? He went there himself!"

For the first time the blue she cat stood up. Her eyes were distant and she had a strangely calm air about her. Then she started to speak.

"The cinder's heart belongs to the lion, and the lion has blazed through the forest, his duty is done. Now the five shall come, walking in the footsteps of the lion, and bringing their Clan a great era of peace. The Clans of old will come true, coming into the modern light. The future of the Clans rest on the shoulders of five..."

**Sorry if the prophecy is a bit rubbish, I'm not very good at them... R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

Wolfkit woke in the nursery beside his brothers and sisters, curled around their mother. He stood up and arched his back, giving off a huge yawn. Redkit, Flashkit, Fawnkit and Owlkit were sleeping a few tail lengths away beside Daisy and Squirrelflight was curled around Firekit and Jaggedkit, who had been born a few moons ago. Wolfkit and his littermates were almost six moons old.

"Come on wake up!" he prodded Lightningkit, who looked up blurrily.

"Go away Wolfkit." He complained.

"Come on I want to ask Seedpaw if she'll teach us some fighting moves; we'll be apprentices in less than a moon!"

At that Lightningkit jumped to his feet. "Come on! Let's pretend that we're StarClan warriors! Leopardkit, Stormkit and Eaglekit are Dark Forest invaders. I'll be Sunstar!" He announced proudly.

"Okay, but if you're Sunstar then I'm Firestar!" he countered.

"Okay, let's go." Said Lightningkit and both Lightningkit and Wolfkit stalked forward in perfect silence and pounced on their littermates, claws sheathed. Wolfkit on Leopardkit and Lightningkit on Eaglekit. Stormkit was in the middle being lightly kicked in the head while the others were wrestling.

They squealed in surprise and leaped to their paws. Eaglekit turned to face him and attempted to swipe his flank but Wolfkit ducked and swiped a paw under her beck legs. She stumbled and fell over as Wolfkit pounced and pinned her.

Wolfkit peered over at Lightningkit who had been pinned down by Stormkit. Leopardkit was hanging above their heads, clinging to the moss which Stormkit hadn't noticed. Lightningkit had, and just before Leopardkit jumped he relaxed, and as Stormkit loosened his grip Lightningkit wormed out from under him. Before Stormkit had a chance to pounce again, Leopardkit jumped and pinned him down.

"Hey!" squealed Stormkit in indignation, "that's not fair! We're on the same side!"

"Yeah Dark Forest invaders! Get out of our territory!" Yelled Lightningkit from his position underneath Stormkit.

As Wolfkit watched, Eaglekit took her opportunity and heaved up. Wolfkit fell backward and now Eaglekit was on top.

"Let me up!" he cried.

"Why just so you can pin me again?" she mocked teasingly.

Before Wolfkit could retort a voice came from the other side of the den. "It's like a little battle in here." It was Cinderheart.

Wolfkit struggled to his paws. "Hi mother! Can we go outside?"

"Okay, Bramblestar has just called a clan meeting and I think you should come." They had been so busy with their play- fight; they hadn't noticed their leader's summons.

Stormkit bounded forwards off of Lightningkit. "Yes! Come on!" he called to his littermates. Wolfkit and the others raced after him into the clearing and came to a stop beside Lionblaze, their father.

"Is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior, and go to join the elders?" Bramblestar was saying. Sandstorm, Greystripe, Millie and Dustpelt were standing beneath Highledge where their leader was speaking.

"It is." They murmured together.

"Your Clan honours you and all the service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest." He finished. Wolfkit saw Purdy standing at the front of the crowd, ready to welcome his new den mates.

"Greystripe! Sandstorm! Dustpelt! Millie!" The Clan chanted.

"Oh great," Stormkit mewed sarcastically in his ear. "More nests for us to clean out when we become apprentices."

Wolfkit laughed, "Unless we put it all onto Seedpaw, Lillypaw, Snowpaw, Dewpaw and Amberpaw."

Lionblaze had heard them, "You should respect your elders more. They are the oldest cats in the clan and have done a great service to ThunderClan. You know Sandstorm was Firestar's mate? And Greystripe was his best friend."

"Of course we know that!" Stormkit mewed indignantly, "I was just joking!"

"So was I!" Wolfkit put in to take some of the heat from his brother.

Leopardkit bounded up to them, "let's go and play rouges verses ThunderClan!" she said excitedly. Lightningkit and Eaglekit followed her, nodding excitedly.

Wolfkit shook his head. "I was going to ask Seedpaw to teach us some battle moves. I mean we will be apprentices is less than a moon."

As soon as he finished speaking, Leopardkit bounced in excitement. "OK, let's go!" The others bounded after them on their way to the apprentices den, obviously just as optimistic as they were.

"Seedpaw, Lillypaw!" Eaglekit called. "Can you teach us some battle moves? Please!" she squeaked when they emerged.

The two apprentices looked on at them for a bit before Lillypaw said, "Sure, you go into the clearing while I get Dewpaw and Snowpaw. There's going to need to be more than two cats to train this lot."

"Yey!" Leopardkit cried as they ran outside.

Wolfkit lined up beside his littermates as Seedpaw paced in front of them. "So what do you want to learn?"

"I want to learn an attack move!" Stormkit answered immediately, obviously keen to get started.

When Lillypaw arrived with Snowpaw and Dewpaw, Seedpaw told them, "Whoever gets cuffed around the ears is out and has to stand to the side, the last two standing must try to beat one another. Understand?" She asked.

The kits nodded eagerly and Seedpaw and the others showed them how to leap in, get a few swipes in and then jump out again before they have a chance to strike back. All the kits play fought in a group.

Wolfkit watched as Leopardkit leaped towards him. He slid to the side but her sheathed paw still caught him a soft blow on the shoulder. Hissing in mock anger, he spun around and cuffed her around the ears.

Leopardkit shook herself and joined the cats on the outer circle, watching intently. Wolfkit turned and saw Lightningkit hurling towards him. Wolfkit leaped back and barely missed a cuff on the ears. He spun around but Lightningkit was already on top of him and gave him a cuff around the ears.

Wolfkit felt disappointment prick him but he pushed it away and mewed, "Good luck with Stormkit."

"Thanks!" Lightningkit mewed brightly and Wolfkit walked to the side to watch Lightningkit and Stormkit face each other beside Eaglekit and Leopardkit, who had already been defeated. Excitement flashed in their eyes and then Lightningkit leaped forward, squealing in the thrill of the moment.

Before Lightningkit had a chance to bowl him over, Stormkit skilfully jumped to the side. He spun around on one paw and jumped on his brother, pinning him. However much Lightningkit struggled, he couldn't get free, and Stormkit was pummelling his ears.

"Got you!" Stormkit yowled triumphantly, leaping off Lightningkit and helping him to his paws. Despite his defeat, Lightningkit's eyes were glimmering admiringly.

Wolfkit looked over to the apprentices. Their faces were awe struck. "What's the matter with you guys?" he asked.

Snowpaw looked at him as if coming out on a daze. "Your brother is just a really good fighter, that's all." He gave himself a shake, "Whatever, I sure wouldn't want to meet him in battle." Stormkit looked up proudly.

Just then, Redkit, Flashkit, Owlkit and Fawnkit came running up. "Hey!" Redkit exclaimed indignantly, "why didn't you invite us to play?"

"Sorry guys, but you were asleep, and there's no way you would have beaten Stormkit anyway. He's super strong!"

"Oh." Sighed Flashkit, "oh well, do you want to get some fresh kill? I'm starving!"

"Yes!" Leopardkit bounded forward at the front of the group with Wolfkit and the others racing behind her. They met Squirrelflight and Bramblestar sitting there already with Firekit and Jaggedkit hungrily wolfing down a mouse.

"Hi Firekit, Jaggedkit!" Stormkit mewed brightly, padding up and taking a vole to share with his littermates and a shrew for Redkit and the others.

"Hi Stormkit!" Jaggedkit looked up from his mouse as Wolfkit and the others dug in to theirs. "We saw you battling! You were amazing!"

Before he had a chance to reply, Squirrelflight interrupted. "What battling?" she asked sharply.

"Oh it was nothing." Lightningkit mewed lightly. "Seedpaw and the others just showed us a few moves and we play fought in like a ring! I beat Wolfkit but Stormkit beat me." He added sadly.

"Yeah! I beat Leopardkit!" Wolfkit put in.

"And I beat Lightningkit _and _Eaglekit!" Stormkit chipped in excitedly.

"You needed to cuff your opponent around the ears to beat them." Added Eaglekit.

Sounds like you've had a tiring morning, why don't you go and get some rest in your nest?"

"No! We're almost apprentices!" Leopardkit cried indignantly.

"OK, OK, but at least have a rest now."

Leopardkit sighed, "Fine."

"OK, while you have a rest, _I'm_ going to rest in the nursery and so are you four." She swept her tail around at Redkit and the others.

"Aww, do we have to?" complained Flashkit.

"Yes! You're younger than the others and you need your sleep." She retorted sternly.

"Alright." She said exasperatedly, lowering her head. They followed her back into the nursery with Firekit and Jaggedkit scampering behind her.

Wolfkit took another bite of the vole, savouring its juicy flavour. "Wolfkit." Lightningkit whispered. "Do you want to go out of camp and hunt a bit or climb a tree? Come on it'll be fun!" he added at Wolfkit's hesitant look.

"Well Leopardkit will love climbing trees," he replied, watching as Leopardkit climbed on top of the half rock and leaped off. "And I would sure love to hunt down a mouse."

"Exactly! Let's go tell the others." They padded over to them and told them what they were going to do.

None of them objected, but just had a glint of excitement in their eyes. "Great! When do we go?" asked Stormkit.

"I really want to hunt a mouse." said Eaglekit.

"I just want to climb some trees; you know how I love climbing." Leopardkit told them.

"I just know I can hunt a rabbit." said Lightningkit. "I am the fastest of us all." He boasted proudly. _But it's true, he is very fast._

Wolfkit remembered when they had raced and he reached the finishing point long before any of the others had. He even beat Dovewing, who was one of the fastest cats in ThunderClan! If he wanted to catch a rabbit, he would catch a rabbit no problem.

"Come on then, let's go now, while the guards are being switched." He said quickly as he saw Berrynose strut into the warriors den to wake up the other.

They padded speedily and entered a small gap in the thorn tunnel which they followed to the other side and emerged into a huge, bright, lush green forest.

"Wow!" they said together in hushed voices.

"Where do you want to go?" asked Stormkit.

"Let's go to the lake!" replied Leopardkit. "I really want to see it after all the others making such a big fuss about it. They others agreed.

"Follow me." said Eaglekit. They didn't know how, but she always had the uncanny ability to sense where to go; and she led the way confidently without hesitation.

They skirted round the camp and followed a trail through the forest. Before long, Wolfkit could smell salt on the wind and they exited the trees to a beautiful, dazzling stretch of water.

Wolfkit stood there for a few moments, taking in this awe inspiring sight until he felt a nudge in his side, come on, I want to hunt a rabbit." It was Lightningkit.

They left the dazzling lake and entered the forest. Wolfkit opened his mouth as Dewpaw had instructed him once and tasted a delicious taste and recognised it at once as rabbit from the one Lionblaze had brought them. He nudged Lightningkit and angled his ears from the direction it came from. Lightningkit nodded and focused on the spot, then he sprinted forward and before his prey could even move, Lightningkit was standing up proudly with a dead rabbit at his feet.

"Well done!" Wolfkit cried admiringly and he ran up to help him drag the rabbit back to the lake. It was at least twice the size of him and took a while to half carry, half drag it between them.

Before they reached the lake, he heard a rustling overhead. He looked up and to his astonishment, he briefly glimpsed a mound of yellow, spotted fur before Leopardkit was standing beside him, holding her paw awkwardly.

"Hi." she groaned.

"Where did you come from?" Lightningkit asked.

"From up there." She angled her tail upward to point at the tree at least five fox lengths above their heads.

"Is your paw okay?" Wolfkit asked worriedly.

"I don't know, I think I twisted it when I fell from the tree. Coming down's allot harder than going up." She hissed.

"oh, well let's find the others by the lake." Lightningkit mewed.

As they scampered onto the sandy beech, they spotted their littermates pawing at the water then sinking them into the sand, watching it cling to their fur. A mouse lay beside them.

"Hey guys!" Leopardkit called and they jumped to their paws, abandoning their game, and ran up to them.

"Hi," greeted Eaglekit.

"No luck?" Stormkit asked, padding up. "Me neither." He told them when he saw their empty paws.

"Wolfkit realised he hadn't caught anything either. "Don't worry." He comforted his littermate, "I didn't either. Why don't we catch something now?"

Stormkit's ears shot up at the suggestion. "Come on then!" he sprinted out into the trees, tail high, before any of them could say a thing and disappeared in the thick undergrowth.

Wolfkit ran after him, leaving the others on the shore to play a game. He caught up with him by a large oak tree, crouched down low. Wolfkit caught a whiff of mouse and he saw it crouched by some tree roots.

Without a sound, Wolfkit made his way around the other side of the tree and rounded it just Stormkit stepped on a twig. The mouse stood on its haunches, sniffing the air, and before it could hide, Wolfkit leaped on it with a squeal of excitement and killed it. Wow! His first prey!

Stormkit bounded up to him. "Great catch!"

"I couldn't have done it without you." He told him. Stormkit purred and they headed back to the lake, pelts brushing. When they reached it they found their littermates crouched in front of Dovewing, whose fur was bristling.

"Where have you been!" she cried when they exited the trees.

"We were hunting." Stormkit told her, gesturing at the two mice at the corner of the trees where Wolfpaw had just dropped their kill. A look of admiration entered her eyes to be replaced with a look of anger.

"You hunted very well but it is _not _okay to leave the camp without a warrior!"

"We're sorry Dovewing." Said Lightningkit bravely, "don't punish them, it was my idea."

"I don't care whose idea it was, you still shouldn't have left camp!" she told them angrily.

"I know we shouldn't but we weren't going to be gone for very long, we just wanted to hunt a bit." Wolfkit told her.

Suddenly, the ice in her eyes melted to be replaced with sympathy. "I know, and you did very well, but you still might get punished for this."

"We know." said Eaglekit. They clutched their prey and Dovewing led them through the forest, even though Eaglekit was perfectly capable of showing them the way.

When they entered the camp, they were greeted by half the clan. Lionblaze ran up to them and half licked them to death. Wolfkit was the first to get smothered by Lionblaze.

"Dad let go!" he squirmed away from his father's clutches and showed him his prey proudly. "Look, I caught a mouse and so did Eaglekit like me and Stormkit!"

Lionblaze looked at his kits proudly. "I'm just happy you're safe. And congratulations on the prey. Now go and put that mouse on the fresh kill pile, I want you to see Cinderheart afterwards too."

"OK dad!" he said and he rubbed himself against his father. Wolfkit proudly padded over to the fresh kill pile and deposited his prey. He then walked over to greet his mother.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 2

Lightningkit and his littermates finished telling Redkit and the others along with Squirrelflight's kits about what happened when they left camp, watching their faces alight with awe as he told them about how his brothers and sister had caught the mice.

When they had told them everything that happened, they left the den and walked over to the nursery where they should have been all along. Lightningkit had a knot of guilt in his stomach. "Sorry I dragged you out with me." He apologised to his littermates. For leaving camp, they were to stay in the nursery until they became apprentices, well that was what Lionblaze had told them anyway.

"You didn't _drag _us anywhere." snapped Leopardkit, "We came with you!" the others yowled in agreement.

"No! I came up with it. I shouldn't have suggested it."

"Yeah well we went along with it and I'm glad we did!" Eaglekit cried. "We had fun and I caught a mouse!"

"But Leopardkit twisted her paw when she fell from the tree!" Lightningkit protested.

"Its fine now!" Leopardkit mewed indignantly.

"Yeah well-" Lightnignkit's reply was cut short as Cinderheart padded in.

"Now you five should get some sleep. Bramblestar just talked to me and he said that your apprentice ceremony will be at sunhigh tomorrow."

"Really?" Stormkit cried excitedly. Cinderheart nodded and Stormpaw leaped on her with the others in pursuit. Lightningkit tackled his mother to the floor. "I'm going to be the best warrior the Clan has ever seen!" He boasted loudly.

"Not yet you're not." Came Lionblaze's voice as he swung him off his mother. "Now you five should calm down and get some sleep." He told them as Squirrelflight came in with her kits and Cinderheart's foster kits.

"But we're not tired!" Eaglekit protested through a yawn.

Cinderheart's whiskers twitched. "Well if you're sure. You might as well lay down and stay out the way of the others." She mewed as the others settled down to sleep.

Lightningkit inwardly groaned but under his mother's stern star, he didn't say a word and lay down next to his littermates in the crook of their mother's belly.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Came Bramblestar's summons. "As you know," he began, "We have five kits that need apprenticing." Lightningkit quivered in excitement and he heard one of the others squeak. "Stormkit, stand forward." He gestured to Stormkit and he bounded forward to stand in front of him. "From this moment on you will be known as Stormpaw. Bumblestripe." He called forward the grey warrior. "You have not yet had an apprentice, but I expect you to pass on all the qualities that you were taught by Mousewhisker onto Stormpaw. Stormpaw walked up to his new mentor and touched noses with him.

Lightningkit was called up next and became known as Lightningpaw. Quivering with excitement, he waited for his mentor to be called forth. "Brackenfur," he said at last. "You are an experienced and seasoned warrior. You are loyal and brave and I want you to pass these on to Lightningpaw." Brackenfur nodded and turned towards him. Lightningpaw walked up nervously and touched his nose. He was relieved to find his eyes sparkling.

Lightningpaw sat proudly in front of his mentor and Stormpaw, watching as his siblings became apprentices. Wolfpaw's, mentor became Ivypool, Leopardpaw's mentor was Poppyfrost and Eaglepaw's mentor was Dovewing.

"What are we going to do first? Can we see the territory? Teach me my first battle move! Can we climb some trees? Let's go hunting!" Lightningpaw said in a flurry of words excitedly.

"You will learn all that in due time, right now we're going to see the territory." Brackenfur told him.

Lightningpaw excitedly padded after him as he moved towards the forest. They set off through the thorn tunnel at a brisk pace. Lightningpaw padded along side him easily. When they emerged into the forest, Lightningpaw was once again dazzled by the beautiful trees.

"Now I believe that you have already visited the lake?" Brackenfur asked. Lightningpaw nodded and Brackenfur carried on, "I think I'll take you up by WindClan, along by the old twoleg nest and back down by ShadowClan."

"OK!" Lightningpaw bounced excitedly, feeling as if all he ever wanted was happening right now. They padded along a trail until they reached a stream. On the other side was a huge stretch of grass on rolling hills. With it came an unbelievably horrid smell. "What is that?" he asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"That's WindClan and it smells as though they have recently marked their borders."

"No kidding!" Lightningpaw muttered.

"Do you want to help mark ours?"

"Yes!" he squeaked and marked the border for the first time.

Once they had done, they carried on up the stream, Lightningpaw keeping his jaws parted in search of a rabbit that he never got to catch. Just then, he smelt a rabbit just ahead. Brackenfur had too but gestured to Lightningpaw to catch it. He pinpointed it just behind that alder bush, crouched, and then sprinted.

He charged at the rabbit, giving off excited squealing sounds. Before he reached it though, the rabbit heard him and set off. Brackenfur called to him to give up, but Lightningpaw knew he could catch it if he was fast enough. After another bout of charging, Lightningpaw gave three huge bounds and fastened his jaws around it.

Lightningpaw griped its leg in his teeth as Brackenfur rounded the tree. He held his head up high as his mentor padded towards him, pride sparking through him. Brackenfur looked interestedly at the limp rabbit. "Well done Lightningpaw. You're very fast. But that is not the proper way to catch a rabbit. To do so, you need to pad lightly, keeping down wind of your prey so it can't smell you and stalk it quietly until you are close enough to kill it. You had been making odd squealing sounds and your tail had been lashing."

Lightningpaw looked down at his paws. He had not only been doing that, but everything else wrong too. "I'm sorry Brackenfur." He mewed to his mentor.

"It's okay," Brackenfur mewed reassuringly, resting his tail over his shoulders. "But what matters is that you caught it and you'll know the next time. Now bury your rabbit and we'll keep exploring."

"Why do you bury it?" Lightningpaw asked curiously.

"We bury it so that we don't attract foxes and badgers. They might make a meal of our kills and track us back to Camp."

"Yeah, but if one did dare to set foot in our territory, I'd have been all over them!" he announced.

"No, you would just run back and warn the others, you would be best choice after all." He said with a sparkle in his warm amber eyes.

Lightningpaw just purred and padded on up the border. Brackenfur padded after him, pointing out things on the way until they reached a huge, dark hollow.

"That's the abandoned twoleg nest." Brackenfur told him. "There aren't any twolegs in it now and it's a great place to gather Catmint. Once when the clan was sick with green cough, everyone sheltered here to stop the rest of the clan getting sick, even Firestar."

"Really?" Lightningpaw exclaimed, surprised. He cautiously approached it and stepped into the gaping hole. It felt like something had swallowed him, and it was uncomfortable. "How do kittypets cope?" he called back.

"Good question, maybe you could ask Cloudtail about it."

"Why?"

"He used to sneak off to twoleg place until they took him away in a monster, Firestar and Sandstorm rescued him from its den."

Lightningpaw was shocked. "But he's one of the best warriors in ThunderClan!"

Brackenfur's reply was cut short when a delighted squeal rang out and Wolfpaw burst out of the trees with Ivypool on his tail.

"Hi Lightningpaw!"

"Hi!" He mewed, excitedly running up to his brother. "Let's go along the ShadowClan border together!" Lightningpaw cried. He dipped his head to his mentor, "can we?"

Brackenfur looked pleased at his obedience and replied, "Of course, if that's all right with you Ivypool."

The silver-grey she cat dipped her head, "Good idea. Let's go." She padded at the front of the group, followed keenly by Lightningpaw and Wolfpaw, and Brackenfur taking up behind. Suddenly, a fowl stench reached Lightningpaw's nose. "That must be ShadowClan." He told Wolfpaw, who nodded with his nose wrinkling in disgust.

"This is the ShadowClan border, we need to mark it and protect it against enemy patrols." They nodded enthusiastically, setting markers as they went. Then Lightningpaw heard movement over the border.

"Who's there?" asked Ivypool threateningly.

Two cats emerged from the bushes, a small white tom, and a large ginger tom.

"Rowenclaw, Littlecloud, what brings you to our border?" Brackenfur asked coolly.

The big ginger tom dipped his head. "I regret to tell you that Blackstar is dead, I am now leader of ShadowClan and we are on our way to the moonpool. We ask you safe passage."

"I am sorry to hear that, he ruled since before the Great Journey. You will make a worthy successor, and we hope you are granted by StarClan." Brackenfur told him.

"But Rowenclaw," Ivypool said with a glint in her eye, "you should be travelling down by the lake, in the three foxtail agreed when we first arrived here. We will have to ask you not to travel from here."

Before the ginger tom could make an angry come back, the other cat stepped forward and interjected. "Yes, we are sorry to have almost trespassed; we will travel at the lake edge."

Ivypool dipped her head, "Thank you and good luck." Rowenclaw growled but moved on down the border followed by the small white tom, who nodded awkwardly.

"Who were they?" asked Lightningpaw.

"And if that other cat was his leader, why did he listen to him like that?" Wolfpaw chipped in.

"That was Rowenclaw, deputy of ShadowClan and Littlecloud, their medicine cat. They are on their way to moonpool, where Rowenclaw will receive his nine lives from StarClan and his name. The next time you see him, you will need to address him as Rowenstar." Brackenfur told them.

"OK, are we going to tell Bramblestar now?" asked Wolfpaw.

"Yes."

They paced through the forest towards camp. Lightningpaw got so bored with the speed that he ran ahead, streaking through the forest and arriving in the camp to see his littermates waiting.

He saw Stormpaw, Eaglepaw and Leopardpaw sitting by half rock and sharing some fresh kill, he padded over to them. "Guess what." He told them and without waiting for an answer, "Blackstar died! Rowenclaw is going to be ShadowClan's leader!"

Eaglepaw looked at him intently, "You weren't spying were you? Because that's against the warrior code!" Even though he was indignant, Lightningpaw couldn't help but notice the authority in her voice.

"Of course I wasn't! Brackenfur, Wolfpaw, Ivypool and me saw them on their way to the moonpool. Littlecloud was with him."

Eaglepaw nodded. "Sorry, so have you told Bramblestar yet?"

"No, I'm just waiting on the others catching up. I ran the rest of the way because they were going too slow."

"But they must have reached camp by now wouldn't they?" Leopardpaw asked.

"No, I'm way too fast for them." Lightningpaw bragged.

Stormpaw frowned at him, "You can't be that fast surely? I'll race you, from here to Highledge and back!"

Lightningpaw felt amusement bubbling up inside him, this would be easy! "Yeah! Ready, set, go!" Lightningpaw paced quite slowly at first, letting Stormpaw get a head start, his littermates jokingly making fun of him. But then he sprinted at top speed, whizzing past Stormpaw. Then, after looking back it to Stormpaw's startled face, he crashed into something very solid and all he knew was darkness.

Lightningpaw woke with a pounding head. He was too tired to lift his head or even open his eyes, but he could hear the sound of running water, and feel the gooey herbs stuck on his forehead.

"Lightningpaw, are you awake?" came a soft voice.

He let out a low groan but did nothing else, and the shuffling that followed made his mercilessly booming head pound even harder. He heard the voice talk again but this time to someone else.

Lightningpaw dared to open his eyes and made out a fuzzy blur. He was blind! He still managed to recognise the medicine den and Briarlight reporting to Jayfeather. He started to his feet but Jayfeather rushed over and laid his tail over his back. "You're not well enough! You must rest until you are better. What were you doing anyway? Leopardpaw tells me that you were talking to your littermates and then you were running head first into Highledge!"

"I was racing Stormpaw but crashed." He said, not wanting to argue.

"Anyway," said Jayfeather, "you split your head and got yourself a scalp wound. It bled and went into your eyes; I assume you can't make out much?"

"No."

"Well it'll where off eventually. You've had your littermates looking out for you, as well as Lionblaze and Cinderheart. Even Bramblestar has come to see you! I sent them away. You need rest. You'll stay here for tonight until the blindness and pain where's off. I'll give you some poppy seeds for the pain. Briarlight?" he called expectantly to his apprentice, and Lightningpaw heard another shuffle and she returned moments later. "Lick this up." she instructed. Lightningpaw did as he was told. "Briarlight, could you tell everyone that Lightningpaw is OK and not to worry? Don't let them come in though."

"Sure Jayfeather!" Briarlight called back just as Lightningpaw was swept into darkness once again.

**So... Hi. Sorry I haven't updated in a while but I'm on holiday and haven't had much time. Sorry It's not very interesting but it should get better! (Hopefully!)**

**QOTD(question of the day): Do you like their mentors? I DID try!**

**R&R Eaglehaze is out! Peace! :P**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 2

Lightningkit and his littermates finished telling Redkit and the others along with Squirrelflight's kits about what happened when they left camp, watching their faces alight with awe as he told them about how his brothers and sister had caught the mice.

When they had told them everything that happened, they left the den and walked over to the nursery where they should have been all along. Lightningkit had a knot of guilt in his stomach. "Sorry I dragged you out with me." He apologised to his littermates. For leaving camp, they were to stay in the nursery until they became apprentices, well that was what Lionblaze had told them anyway.

"You didn't _drag _us anywhere." snapped Leopardkit, "We came with you!" the others yowled in agreement.

"No! I came up with it. I shouldn't have suggested it."

"Yeah well we went along with it and I'm glad we did!" Eaglekit cried. "We had fun and I caught a mouse!"

"But Leopardkit twisted her paw when she fell from the tree!" Lightningkit protested.

"Its fine now!" Leopardkit mewed indignantly.

"Yeah well-" Lightnignkit's reply was cut short as Cinderheart padded in.

"Now you five should get some sleep. Bramblestar just talked to me and he said that your apprentice ceremony will be at sunhigh tomorrow."

"Really?" Stormkit cried excitedly. Cinderheart nodded and Stormpaw leaped on her with the others in pursuit. Lightningkit tackled his mother to the floor. "I'm going to be the best warrior the Clan has ever seen!" He boasted loudly.

"Not yet you're not." Came Lionblaze's voice as he swung me off my mother. "Now you five should calm down and get some sleep." He told them as Squirrelflight came in with her kits and Cinderheart's foster kits.

"But we're not tired!" Eaglekit protested through a yawn.

Cinderheart's whiskers twitched. "Well if you're sure. You might as well lay down and stay out the way of the others." She mewed as the others settled down to sleep.

Lightningkit inwardly groaned but under his mother's stern star, he didn't say a word and lay down next to his littermates in the crook of their mother's belly.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Came Bramblestar's summons. "As you know," he began, "We have five kits that need apprenticing." Lightningkit quivered in excitement and he heard one of the others squeak. "Stormkit, stand forward." He gestured to Stormkit and he bounded forward to stand in front of him. "From this moment on you will be known as Stormpaw. Bumblestripe." He called forward the grey warrior. "You have not yet had an apprentice, but I expect you to pass on all the qualities that you were taught by Mousewhisker onto Stormpaw. Stormpaw walked up to his new mentor and touched noses with him.

Lightningkit was called up next and became known as Lightningpaw. Quivering with excitement, he waited for his mentor to be called forth. "Brackenfur," he said at last. "You are an experienced and seasoned warrior. You are loyal and brave and I want you to pass these on to Lightningpaw." Brackenfur nodded and turned towards him. Lightningpaw walked up nervously and touched his nose. He was relieved to find his eyes sparkling.

Lightningpaw sat proudly in front of his mentor and Stormpaw, watching as his siblings became apprentices. Wolfpaw's, mentor became Ivypool, Leopardpaw's mentor was Poppyfrost and Eaglepaw's mentor was Dovewing.

"What are we going to do first? Can we see the territory? Teach me my first battle move! Can we climb some trees? Let's go hunting!" Lightningpaw said in a flurry of words excitedly.

"You will learn all that in due time, right now we're going to see the territory." Brackenfur told him.

Lightningpaw excitedly padded after him as he moved towards the forest. They set off through the thorn tunnel at a brisk pace. Lightningpaw padded along side him easily. When they emerged into the forest, Lightningpaw was once again dazzled by the beautiful trees.

"Now I believe that you have already visited the lake?" Brackenfur asked. Lightningpaw nodded and Brackenfur carried on, "I think I'll take you up by WindClan, along by the old twoleg nest and back down by ShadowClan."

"OK!" Lightningpaw bounced excitedly, feeling as if all he ever wanted was happening right now. They padded along a trail until they reached a stream. On the other side was a huge stretch of grass on rolling hills. With it came an unbelievably horrid smell. "What is that?" he asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"That's WindClan and it smells as though they have recently marked their borders."

"No kidding!" Lightningpaw muttered.

"Do you want to help mark ours?"

"Yes!" he squeaked and marked the border for the first time.

Once they had done, they carried on up the stream, Lightningpaw keeping his jaws parted in search of a rabbit that he never got to catch. Just then, he smelt a rabbit just ahead. Brackenfur had too but gestured to Lightningpaw to catch it. He pinpointed it just behind that alder bush, crouched, and then sprinted.

He charged at the rabbit, giving off excited squealing sounds. Before he reached it though, the rabbit heard him and set off. Brackenfur called to him to give up, but Lightningpaw knew he could catch it if he was fast enough. After another bout of charging, Lightningpaw gave three huge bounds and fastened his jaws around it.

Lightningpaw griped its leg in his teeth as Brackenfur rounded the tree. He held his head up high as his mentor padded towards him, pride sparking through him. Brackenfur looked interestedly at the limp rabbit. "Well done Lightningpaw. You're very fast. But that is not the proper way to catch a rabbit. To do so, you need to pad lightly, keeping down wind of your prey so it can't smell you and stalk it quietly until you are close enough to kill it. You had been making odd squealing sounds and your tail had been lashing."

Lightningpaw looked down at his paws. He had not only been doing that, but everything else wrong too. "I'm sorry Brackenfur." He mewed to his mentor.

"It's okay," Brackenfur mewed reassuringly, resting his tail over his shoulders. "But what matters is that you caught it and you'll know the next time. Now bury your rabbit and we'll keep exploring."

"Why do you bury it?" Lightningpaw asked curiously.

"We bury it so that we don't attract foxes and badgers. They might make a meal of our kills and track us back to Camp."

"Yeah, but if one did dare to set foot in our territory, I'd have been all over them!" he announced.

"No, you would just run back and warn the others, you would be best choice after all." He said with a sparkle in his warm amber eyes.

Lightningpaw just purred and padded on up the border. Brackenfur padded after him, pointing out things on the way until they reached a huge, dark hollow.

"That's the abandoned twoleg nest." Brackenfur told him. "There aren't any twolegs in it now and it's a great place to gather Catmint. Once when the clan was sick with green cough, everyone sheltered here to stop the rest of the clan getting sick, even Firestar."

"Really?" Lightningpaw exclaimed, surprised. He cautiously approached it and stepped into the gaping hole. It felt like something had swallowed him, and it was uncomfortable. "How do kittypets cope?" he called back.

"Good question, maybe you could ask Cloudtail about it."

"Why?"

"He used to sneak off to twoleg place until they took him away in a monster, Firestar and Sandstorm rescued him from its den."

Lightningpaw was shocked. "But he's one of the best warriors in ThunderClan!"

Brackenfur's reply was cut short when a delighted squeal rang out and Wolfpaw burst out of the trees with Ivypool on his tail.

"Hi Lightningpaw!"

"Hi!" He mewed, excitedly running up to his brother. "Let's go along the ShadowClan border together!" Lightningpaw cried. He dipped his head to his mentor, "can we?"

Brackenfur looked pleased at his obedience and replied, "Of course, if that's all right with you Ivypool."

The silver-grey she cat dipped her head, "Good idea. Let's go." She padded at the front of the group, followed keenly by Lightningpaw and Wolfpaw, and Brackenfur taking up behind. Suddenly, a fowl stench reached Lightningpaw's nose. "That must be ShadowClan." He told Wolfpaw, who nodded with his nose wrinkling in disgust.

"This is the ShadowClan border, we need to mark it and protect it against enemy patrols." They nodded enthusiastically, setting markers as they went. Then Lightningpaw heard movement over the border.

"Who's there?" asked Ivypool threateningly.

Two cats emerged from the bushes, a small white tom, and a large ginger tom.

"Rowenclaw, Littlecloud, what brings you to our border?" Brackenfur asked coolly.

The big ginger tom dipped his head. "I regret to tell you that Blackstar is dead, I am now leader of ShadowClan and we are on our way to the moonpool. We ask you safe passage."

"I am sorry to hear that, he ruled since before the Great Journey. You will make a worthy successor, and we hope you are granted by StarClan." Brackenfur told him.

"But Rowenclaw," Ivypool said with a glint in her eye, "you should be travelling down by the lake, in the three foxtail agreed when we first arrived here. We will have to ask you not to travel from here."

Before the ginger tom could make an angry come back, the other cat stepped forward and interjected. "Yes, we are sorry to have almost trespassed; we will travel at the lake edge."

Ivypool dipped her head, "Thank you and good luck." Rowenclaw growled but moved on down the border followed by the small white tom, who nodded awkwardly.

"Who were they?" asked Lightningpaw.

"And if that other cat was his leader, why did he listen to him like that?" Wolfpaw chipped in.

"That was Rowenclaw, deputy of ShadowClan and Littlecloud, their medicine cat. They are on their way to moonpool, where Rowenclaw will receive his nine lives from StarClan and his name. The next time you see him, you will need to address him as Rowenstar." Brackenfur told them.

"OK, are we going to tell Bramblestar now?" asked Wolfpaw.

"Yes."

They paced through the forest towards camp. Lightningpaw got so bored with the speed that he ran ahead, streaking through the forest and arriving in the camp to see his littermates waiting.

He saw Stormpaw, Eaglepaw and Leopardpaw sitting by half rock and sharing some fresh kill, he padded over to them. "Guess what." He told them and without waiting for an answer, "Blackstar died! Rowenclaw is going to be ShadowClan's leader!"

Eaglepaw looked at him intently, "You weren't spying were you? Because that's against the warrior code!" Even though he was indignant, Lightningpaw couldn't help but notice the authority in her voice.

"Of course I wasn't! Brackenfur, Wolfpaw, Ivypool and me saw them on their way to the moonpool. Littlecloud was with him."

Eaglepaw nodded. "Sorry, so have you told Bramblestar yet?"

"No, I'm just waiting on the others catching up. I ran the rest of the way because they were going too slow."

"But they must have reached camp by now wouldn't they?" Leopardpaw asked.

"No, I'm way too fast for them." Lightningpaw bragged.

Stormpaw frowned at him, "You can't be that fast surely? I'll race you, from here to Highledge and back!"

Lightningpaw felt amusement bubbling up inside him, this would be easy! "Yeah! Ready, set, go!" Lightningpaw paced quite slowly at first, letting Stormpaw get a head start, his littermates jokingly making fun of him. But then he sprinted at top speed, whizzing past Stormpaw. Then, after looking back it to Stormpaw's startled face, he crashed into something very solid and all he knew was darkness.

Lightningpaw woke with a pounding head. He was too tired to lift his head or even open his eyes, but he could hear the sound of running water, and feel the gooey herbs stuck on his forehead.

"Lightningpaw, are you awake?" came a soft voice.

He let out a low groan but did nothing else, and the shuffling that followed made his mercilessly booming head pound even harder. He heard the voice talk again but this time to someone else.

Lightningpaw dared to open his eyes and made out a fuzzy blur. He was blind! He still managed to recognise the medicine den and Briarlight reporting to Jayfeather. He started to his feet but Jayfeather rushed over and laid his tail over his back. "You're not well enough! You must rest until you are better. What were you doing anyway? Leopardpaw tells me that you were talking to your littermates and then you were running head first into Highledge!"

"I was racing Stormpaw but crashed." He said, not wanting to argue.

"Anyway," said Jayfeather, "you split your head and got yourself a scalp wound. It bled and went into your eyes; I assume you can't make out much?"

"No."

"Well it'll where off eventually. You've had your littermates looking out for you, as well as Lionblaze and Cinderheart. Even Bramblestar has come to see you! I sent them away. You need rest. You'll stay here for tonight until the blindness and pain where's off. I'll give you some poppy seeds for the pain. Briarlight?" he called expectantly to his apprentice, and Lightningpaw heard another shuffle and she returned moments later. "Lick this up." she instructed. Lightningpaw did as he was told. "Briarlight, could you tell everyone that Lightningpaw is OK and not to worry? Don't let them come in though."

"Sure Jayfeather!" Briarlight called back just as Lightningpaw was swept into darkness once again.

**Ai'o! Hope you liked it and I'm open to criticism but no flames please! And I only update again if I get at least two reviews! **

**QOTD: Does anybody else think Eaglepaw is really nosey and bossy?**

**And has anyone seen Frozen? Best animated movie of all time! (In my opinion) ;)**

**R&R Eaglehaze is out! Peace! :P**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 3

Eaglepaw paced outside the nursery with her brothers and sister looking in anxiously at the entrance. Wolfpaw and the patrol had appeared shortly after Lightningpaw's injury; Brackenfur had gone up and reported to Bramblestar while Ivypool and Wolfpaw had come over to look out for their kin.

As soon as Lightningpaw had hit the Highledge, he had collapsed with a bleeding forehead. Eaglepaw and her littermates had run up to him while Leopardpaw ran to the medicine den for help. Jayfeather and Briarlight had come rushing up with their jaws full of herbs. They had bound his head and carried him off to the medicine den.

Eaglepaw heard a rustling from the bushes beside her and looked up. Briarlight dragged herself from the bushes with her usual air of mischief. "Lightningpaw is going to be fine, he just got a cut on his head and he'll have to stay in the medicine den overnight. He'll be back on duty in a couple of days."

"Thanks Briarlight!" Eaglepaw squealed as relief fluttered in her belly. She purred and touched her nose to Briarlight's ear. Eaglepaw had always looked up to her; even though she wasn't a warrior she was always friendly, especially now she was a medicine cat apprentice. She was like a second mentor.

"You're welcome Eaglepaw, you're not to visit him just yet but you can at dawn."

"OK, bye!" the others murmured thanks and farewells before going off hunting or to the fresh kill pile. Eaglepaw walked over to Dovewing. She hadn't been out of camp yet, she'd just been making nests and bringing fresh kill to the elders, queens and kits. And seeing how many occupants were taking up both, it had taken a long time.

As she approached Dovewing, she turned towards her. "Are you ready to learn your first battle moves?"

"Really? But I haven't even seen the territory!" Eaglepaw squealed.

"I know but you've had such a boring day already that battle practice ought to liven you up!"

"Thanks! I'm going to crush Stormpaw when I get back!" Dovewing flicked her on the nose with her tail and padded over to the thorn tunnel with Eaglepaw excitedly scampering behind her.

Then she felt her usual senses kicking in and she automatically knew where the training hollow was. She took the lead and scampered down a well-worn track. Eaglepaw heard Dovewing shout and race after her and then they were at the hollow.

"How did you know where to go?" she gasped.

Eaglepaw shrugged. "I don't know. How did I lead the way to the lake with my littermates? You tell me."

Dovewing frowned at her sceptical tone but didn't say anything; she just beckoned with her tail for her to follow.

"Now," she said, coming to a standstill and turning to face Eaglepaw. "Try and get past me."

"How?"

"Just run but I'll try to stop you." Dovewing replied.

Eaglepaw thought for a moment. If she ran one way, Dovewing would just intercept her, so if Eaglepaw were to run one way and then at the last heartbeat switch direction, Dovewing would likely miss her.

Eaglepaw nodded and sprinted in one direction. Dovewing readied herself to stop her but Eaglepaw changed direction and plunged past her.

She turned towards Dovewing full of pride, but was knocked over by a gentle yet forceful blow. Eaglepaw squealed in surprise. "Hey!" she screeched indignantly.

"The battle is never over until your opponent is defeated. And no, I don't mean until it is dead, but until you have it pinned or it has surrendered, don't assume you have won until you have."

Eaglepaw nodded eager to learn all she could. "Could we try again?"

"Of course." Dovewing flicked her tail and Eaglepaw got back into position. Dovewing knew her tactic now so when she went to one side, Dovewing would be there to cut her off when she switched.

Eaglepaw ran forward, zigzagging constantly with all the speed she possessed. When she approached Dovewing, Eaglepaw sped up even more until she ducked under Dovewing's outstretched paw. Then, remembering what Dovewing had told her, spun around, ready for the next attack.

"Well done Eaglepaw!" Dovewing exclaimed. "Now I'll teach you an attack move. So when I attack, I want you to dodge and knock me over so that you can attack my soft underbelly."

Eaglepaw nodded excitedly and waited patiently for her to begin. Dovewing did the battle crouch which Eaglepaw hastily tried to copy and instinctively fell into the right position, like in hunting. Dovewing charged swiftly but Eaglepaw nimbly hopped to the side and around the back. While Dovewing skidded to a halt, Eaglepaw silently sneaked up beside her and forcefully reared up on her belly so that she screeched and flipped over. She leaped on her and pummelled her mentor's belly gently with claws sheathed.

"Stop Eaglepaw," Dovewing told her getting to her paws with pride sparkling in her eyes. "I'm so proud of you! You will be as good a fighter as your father! You know he was my mentor?"

Eaglepaw nodded, "And that he helped you with the prophecy about the three. Jayfeather helped didn't he?"

"Yes. Now let's hunt. How do mice know you're coming?"

Eaglepaw thought for a moment. "Err, by scent?"

"No, but for most other prey yes. But for a mouse, it feels your paw steps through the earth, so what do you need to do? Think."

"Step lightly." Eaglepaw answered without hesitation.

"Exactly, so you need to put your entire wait onto your haunches, like this." Dovewing fell into a crouch and swiftly glided forward and pounced.

"Wow! It's like your floating!"

"That's what it's meant to look like; your feet need to barely touch the ground, now you try." Dovewing instructed.

Eaglepaw tried to mimic Dovewing's crouch. It was hard to keep her balance but she got the hang of it after a bit and started to run forward. She made sure all her weight was in her haunches before springing on a clump of dead leaves.

"Well done, now let's try it for real but remember to keep your tail up so it doesn't stir the leaves."

Eaglepaw nodded determinedly and scanned the area, parting her jaws to let the scents flood in. She picked up a few faint, stale scents but then was hit with the mouth-watering, fresh aroma of mouse. Eaglepaw crouched and silently crept forward towards a twisted knot of tree roots, where the mouse was foraging for nuts. Making sure her weight was non-existent in her paws, she charged forward and pounced.

Eaglepaw landed squarely on the mouse and gave it a hasty bite to the neck before it even had a chance to squeal. Pride surged through her as she looked at her first kill as an apprentice and in front of her mentor! She stood up and turned to her mentor who was already rushing towards her, a purr rising in her throat. "Well done, although this isn't your first kill now is it?"

"It is as an apprentice!" she countered. Eaglepaw saw a gleam of amusement twinkle in Dovewing's eyes.

"Of course it is. Come on then, let's take this back to camp, and you can flatten your brother like you promised."

Eaglepaw eagerly charged after her mentor. They were walking through the dense forest greenery when white dots came falling through the trees.

Eaglepaw leaped back in surprise as one landed on her nose. "It's cold!" she exclaimed, "What is it?" she asked Dovewing.

"It is snow, it falls every leafbear when prey get scares. You must work extra hard now it's here okay?"

"Yes Dovewing," they carried on walking.

"Come on, the snow is really coming down now!"

They dashed back to camp and arrived to the dark, empty clearing. All the cats must be sheltering and trying to sleep in their dens. "You go and take that to the elders now and then go and get some sleep, you've worked really hard today. And don't worry about your brother, he is in good paws. Goodnight."

**QOTD: What do you think will happen to Lightningpaw?**

**R&R! Eaglehaze out! Peace!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 4

Stormpaw settled himself in his new nest in the apprentices den along with Leopardpaw, Wolfpaw, Seedpaw, Lillypaw, Snowpaw and Dewpaw. Lightningpaw was in the medicine den for now but was sure to be back on his feet tomorrow; and Eaglepaw still wasn't back from training.

He had spent the day patrolling and learning how hunt. At dawn he would be on the dawn patrol with Bumblestripe, Poppyfrost and Birchfall. After that Stormpaw would be learning how to fight and defend then be spending the rest of the day cleaning out the elders den with Leopardpaw. Wolfkit and Eaglepaw would be doing the nursery, Seedpaw and Lillypaw would be doing the Warriors den and Snowpaw and Dewpaw would be doing the apprentices den. Even Lightningpaw would be doing the medicine den with Amberpaw if he was up to it.

Stormpaw still couldn't forget about Lightningpaw and how it was his fault he got hurt. If he just hadn't challenged him to a race Lightningpaw wouldn't have crashed and been sent to the medicine den. But how is he so fast? One minute he was slowly padding behind him while Stormpaw dashed to Highledge and then he was a broken bundle on the earth with a bleeding head. If he died from that he would never forgive himself.

Just then Eaglepaw entered with a white coat. She shook herself and cold, wet beads scattered around the den and onto Stormpaw's fur. "Hey watch it!" he scolded.

Eaglepaw padded up unconcernedly, "Good to see you too."

"What is this?" he asked curiously, shaking his head to clear the white rain.

"It's snow; this is what falls from the sky in leafbear instead of rain."

"Really? Is it snowing right now?"

When Eaglepaw nodded, Stormpaw rushed to the entrance and poked his nose outside. White flurries of snow were coming down in sheets, covering the ground. Leopardpaw and Wolfpaw appeared beside him, along with Seedpaw, Lillypaw, Amberpaw, Snowpaw and Dewpaw; all of whom had never seen snow before.

"I've never seen snow before," said Snowkit, Echoing Stormpaw's thoughts. "Even though we were born in leafbear, we were too young to remember. We're almost twelve moons old." He said nudging his brother.

"Yeah it won't be long until we become warriors you know?" replied Amberpaw.

"Not before we are." Lillypaw told her. "I wonder what our warrior names will be."

"Well yours is easy. It'll probably be Lillypetal." Seedpaw joked.

"Yeah you think so? Well you will probably become Rottenseed." Lillypaw shot back, amusement in her eyes.

"I want to become Snowstorm!" Snowpaw announced.

"And I want to be Dewblade." said Dewpaw. Everyone looked at him. "What? It's an original!"

"What would go well with amber?" Amberpaw wondered, "Maybe Ambereyes?"

"What do you want to be called?" Leopardpaw asked him.

"I never really thought about it." Stormpaw told her truthfully, "Probably Stormtail. There's nothing so original about that!"

"I would probably be called Leopardspot."

"I'd be Wolffur after my coat." Wolfpaw chipped in.

"I would be known as Eaglewing or Eagleflight probably." said Eaglepaw coming up to join them. "Saying as every cat around here with a bird name ends with that."

"That isn't true!" Leopardpaw snapped.

"Oh yeah you sure about that? What about Jayfeather and Dovewing?"

"You don't have to be called that you know, you can choose your own name, like Crowfeather did." Wolfpaw told her.

"What a great example thanks." She mewed sarcastically, a playful sparkle in her eyes.

Stormpaw flicked his tail in front of her nose and settled down in his nest, falling asleep to the warm presence of Eaglepaw settling down beside her.

Stormpaw was awoken by the freezing snow. He curled deeper into his nest until he remembered the dawn patrol. _It must be time now,_Stormpaw thought, looking up through the apprentice den branches at the dark sky; a tiny bead of light beaming through.

He blearily opened his eyes and stumbled to his feet, making his way out of the den into the blinding snow. His patrol was waiting for him. They set off, Bumblestripe in the lead with Stormpaw hard on his paws with the rest of the patrol behind them. It seemed the whole forest was asleep including the patrol. They had to wade in some places to get through the snow; it was a relief to get into the thick sheltered trees.

Every once in a while they would yawn and stumble into each other, muttering apologies. Stormpaw wasn't much better; all he wanted to do was go back to his nest and curl up to go to sleep.

As they passed the ShadowClan border, Stormpaw heard a rustling in the bushes and a patrol of cats emerged with enemy scent on ThunderClan's side of the border.

The patrol was awake in an instant, sizing up to their opponent with a snarl. Stormpaw stood forward bravely but was pushed back by Bumblestripe. "Stay back." He warned.

Stormpaw obeyed and stepped back. "Rowenstar!" snarled Birchfall, "What are you and your patrol doing on our territory?"

Stormpaw realised that every cat was preparing to fight. He hastily unsheathed his claws. "We are here to see Bramblestar. Take us to him." Rowenstar demanded as if they were his own Clanmates.

"Don't order us around!" screeched Poppyfrost.

Bumblestripe flicked his tail for the ThunderClan patrol to surround the opposing cats. Stormpaw took up position by the youngest looking cat as the patrol set off, the ShadowClan cats hissing when they fell into a snow drift.

As they arrived at camp, soaked to the bone with snow, more cats were awake. They glared and snarled at the group of ShadowClan cats. Even Dovewing, one of the gentlest cat he knew, hissed and spat at one of the cats, a mottled ginger and brown tabby before disappearing into the warriors den. The warrior she had spat at had a guilty look in his eyes and genuine regret. There was also something else he couldn't recognise….

Bramblestar appeared at the entrance to Highledge, standing tall and proud with Squirrleflight at his side. Both of them gracefully raced down the narrow, snow covered path and stood intimidatingly in front of the group of ShadowClan cats. "What are you doing in our territory?" Bramblestar snarled.

Rowenstar didn't flinch from his glare, only stood up to it. "Not all of your territory will belong to you for long; we have come to demand the territory that sticks into the lake."

Bramblestar snarled but Squirrleflight beat him to it. "How dare you! We have been perfectly happy with our borders for moons! Why now?"

"We need that territory now more than ever, especially now that leafbear is here. We have kits that need milk and apprentices that need trained. The elders also need prey and so do the warriors that work so hard to get it. That area is the most sheltered of snow and if you don't give us your territory we will have no choice but to fight for it." Rowenstar snarled.

"You aren't the only one who needs that territory!" Bramblestar countered, "We also have kits and apprentices that need looked after and trained. We have four new elders and two apprentices on the verge of becoming warriors and-"

Bramblestar was cut off by Dovewing, "And I am expecting kits so we will also need it for that!"

All eyes turned to her and then a caterwaul of congratulations came from the ThunderClan cats including Stormpaw, who cheered loudly for his mentors mate, who ran up to her in astonished delight. Stormpaw heard a shocked gasp come from one of the ShadowClan cats and turned to see the ginger and brown tom glaring at her with hurt and hatred in his eyes. _What's that all about?_ He thought.

Icecloud then stood out of the crowd. "I-I think I am as well, with Mousewhisker." She spluttered timidly.

After another bout of congratulations Bramblestar spoke up. "Congratulations to both Dovewing and Icecloud, clearly, we need the territory much more then you do and if you insist on taking it then we will be ready and you will be sorry!" he snarled, rounding up on Rowenstar.

Rowenstar hissed and flattened his ears. "Very well, we will be at the border in four sunrises, if you do not show up we will take it anyway but if you do I will have my best warriors ready to fight for what we deserve!" he snarled and turned towards the thorn tunnel, "I hope you have the sense to change your mind, see you at the gathering." And he and his warriors disappeared through the tunnel.

Bramblestar flicked his tail at Cloudtail, Thornclaw, Spiderleg and Squirrleflight who streamed after them. "We aren't going to give them the territory are we?" asked Berrynose.

"Of course not. From now on all main apprentice training will be on battle techniques, hunting will either be before sunhigh and after dusk. I also want Icecloud and Toadstep to give Lillypaw and Seedpaw their warrior assessment, are they ready?" he added to them. Icecloud and Toadstep both nodded excitedly.

"Lillypaw is full trained and battle ready." Icecloud informed him.

"Seedpaw couldn't be better." Toadstep told him.

"Good, I will hold their warrior ceremony at sundown! Jayfeather!" he called to his medicine cat at the back of the group, "is Lightningpaw ready to get back to his training?"

"Yes. He can be back straight away." Jayfeather called back. His words loosened the knot of guilt in Stormpaw's stomach. _He's okay! Will he forgive me?_

"Great, he will do mostly battle training but will also be kept on guard on the ShadowClan border in case they try to take it early. I have seen how fast he is and he will be very good at alerting us in time to attack. Is that all right with you Jayfeather?"

"As long as he is not worked too hard."

"Great, I want a tree attack from Squirrleflight, Rosepetal, Cloudtail, Cinderheart, Toadstep, Brackenfur, Poppyfrost, Amberpaw, Leopardpaw and Eaglepaw."

"Lionblaze, Berrynose, Mousewhisker, Bumblestripe, Molewhisker, Spiderleg, Ivypool, Blossomfall, Wolfpaw, Stormpaw, Dewpaw and Lightningpaw will be fighting on the ground. I will lead it and Squirrleflight will lead the tree attack while everybody else will stay and defend the camp."

"What about me?" Asked Dovewing from the crowd.

"You will stay at camp and ready the other warriors encase we are outnumbered. You will hear my yowl and send the others out as back up. Make sure they are ready when we leave so they can be there in no time." Bramblestar explained.

Dovewing nodded. Squirrelflight and the patrol appeared at the entrance, "Right, I want to explain what's happening to you four," he flicked his tail at the newly arrived patrol, "then can you give the patrols?" he added to Squirrelflight who purred and flicked him on the shoulder.

The meeting was over. Bumblestripe was still crooning over Dovewing so Stormpaw went into the medicine den to visit Lightningpaw. He was asleep in his mossy nest. "Hey, wake up."

Lightningpaw stirred and looked up at him, then clambered to his paws. "Hi." He yawned, "It's so boring in here! All I can do is sleep and clean this place, I don't think anything has ever been this clean!"

Before Stormpaw could answer, Jayfeather entered with Amberpaw on his tail. "Clean is good, what's the point in a dirty medicine den? Anyway." He added without waiting for an answer. "You can go; you need to train for the raid against ShadowClan."

At first Lightningpaw looked delighted then puzzled, "What raid?"

"ShadowClan have threatened to take some of our territory." Stormpaw explained.

"What? Why?"

"They're taking it because they think they need more territory because of all their Clan mates." Stormpaw replied.

"And what are we doing about it?"

"Me, you and Wolfpaw are some of the ones doing the ground fighting. Lightningpaw and Eaglepaw are doing the sky drop attack from the trees. You are also on guard at their border in case they attack early. We're not allowed to go on hunting patrols after sunhigh and before dusk." Stormpaw concluded.

Lightningpaw looked excited now. "Wow! Our first battle! Let's go and train together at the training hollow, you're not going to beat me again!" He added rearing up and lightly hitting him on the nose. Stormpaw growled and bowled him over while he was still on two paws, they tussled.

"Hey! Not in here!" came Jayfeather's angry voice, "go outside before you scatter all the herbs!"

Stormpaw go to his feet with Lightningpaw, "Come on, let's go find our mentors!"

They bolted out of the medicine den in a scramble to get out first and found Brackenfur first talking, to Sorreltail. Lightningpaw sped ahead unsurprisingly. "Brackenfur!" Lightningpaw bounced up to his mentor. "Can we do battle training with Stormpaw?"

"Please!" Stormpaw added rushing up.

"I don't see why not," he replied, "but it's up to Bumblestripe. Go and ask him."

"But he's still over there mooning over Dovewing." Stormpaw mewed back, glancing over at Bumblestripe curled around Dovewing.

"Well still go and ask, he doesn't need to come with us." Brackenfur replied.

"Okay." Stormpaw replied. He padded up to Bumblestripe and Dovewing. "Bumblestripe, can we go out training with Lightningpaw?"

"Sorry, no. I need to stay here with Dovewing and make sure she has everything she needs, go ahead with Brackenfur." He replied gently.

"Bumblestripe." Dovewing said, "I don't need constant attention, I'm only a quarter moon expecting, go with Stormpaw, he is your first apprentice and I need to train mine." She reminded him sharply.

"You'r right, I'll see you later." Bumblestripe replied gently.

She twitched her whiskers in farewell and padded over to Eaglepaw at the apprentices den. They both padded through the thorn tunnel, swiftly followed by Poppyfrost and Leopardpaw. "Come on they're waiting!" Stormpaw mewed brightly to his mentor.

With somewhat forced enthusiasm, Bumblestripe bounded in front of him and up to Brackenfur. "You ready?" Bumblestripe asked him.

"Yeah," he replied.

He and Lightningpaw padded beside their mentors, trudging through the snow covered path. Lightningpaw got a strict warning from Brackenfur not to run ahead of them. "You know the three great clans wouldn't have acted this way, LionClan, TigerClan and LeopardClan would have had more obedience."

Lightningpaw hung his head. "I'm sorry Brackenfur, I just can't help it! I feel like I need to run everywhere!"

"Well it's that sort of urge that got you hurt in the first place and Jayfeather said you need to take it easy! Brackenfur snapped.

Stormpaw was taken aback. He had never seen Brackenfur loose his patients with anyone before! Then he saw the concern in his eyes and realised that he was only harsh because he was so worried about his apprentice.

"Don't worry," he whispered to Lightningpaw, "he's only like that because he's worried about you."

"I know, I just love to run, that's why I ran so fast when I raced you, I just love it." he murmured back.

Stormpaw was surprised. "But it was my fault you ran into Highledge! If I hadn't raced you, you would never have gotten hurt and would have been training like everybody else!" he whispered, letting all his guilt flow out of him like a river.

Lightningpaw stared at him incuriously, "No it's not! If I hadn't tried to show off then I wouldn't have ended up face first into Highledge." He added, eyes sparkling.

Stormpaw instantly felt better, "Yeah, only you could be that mouse brained!"

"Hey!" Lightningpaw said in a raised voice then quickly lowered it. "True but only a mouse brained badger would challenge me to a race!

"Show off." Stormpaw whispered.

Lightningpaw flicked his ear but said nothing. Stormpaw guessed he didn't want to get in trouble with his mentor. Now that he looked around properly, he realised that almost all his Clanmates were training. Squirrelflight, Cinderheart, Spiderleg and Cloudtail were all practising jumping out trees and Bramblestar, Lionblaze, Thornclaw and Leafpool were practising battle moves with each other. Stormpaw could hear more training for the battle in other parts of the forest.

"Will there be any other cats training in the hollow?" he asked Bumblestripe.

"Yes I think some of the older apprentices will be and all the others either training somewhere else or patrolling the ShadowClan border. Your sisters will be practising how to climb trees."

"When will we learn how to climb trees?" Lightningpaw asked.

Brackenfur answered. "In due course, but for now you must focus all your efforts on battle training; later you will learn how to climb. You will have a hunting lesson every dawn and dusk until this battle is over."

Lightningpaw nodded. "What are we learning to do today?"

"Nothing too hard, but you'll see when we get there." Brackenfur replied.

They walked on silently for a bit longer, listening to the sounds of training in the forest, until they came across a sandy hollow. Snowpaw, Dewpaw and Amberpaw were already there.

"Right," mewed Bumblestripe as Lightningpaw and Brackenfur moved off to practice further away, "what is a good tactic to overpower an enemy that's bigger then you?"

Stormpaw thought for a minute, "use it's wait against It." he replied at last.

"Exactly, and you can do that in a lot of different ways. I'm going to show you one now, but I need a partner. Mousewhisker!" he called over to Mousewhisker who was training with Snowpaw.

He stopped practising a battle move with his apprentice and padded over to him. "What up?"

"I need to show Stormpaw how to jump onto his enemy, will you help?"

"Sure." He replied. Mousewhisker prepared and readied himself for an attack. Bumblestripe crouched down and pounced right on top of Mousewhisker, who reared and kicked out to dislodge his attacker. Stormpaw's mentor, not wanting to hurt his Clanmate, held on with his front paws wrapped around Mousewhisker's neck.

Bumblestripe lightly bit his Clanmate on the scruff and his ears. He then nimbly leaped off and crouched down ready for Mousewhisker to attack back. He stood up and padded over to his apprentice. "That's how you do it, but in a real battle you would hold on with your claws so that you cause more damage. Now try it on me, but you have to be quick because if a warrior much bigger than you rolled on you, you would be in quite a bit of trouble.

Stormpaw nodded and crouched down. He knew he wouldn't be able to jump right on top of him head to head but if he ran around… he ran at Bumblestripe, making it look as though he was running straight at him but veered off to the side at the last minute. Stormpaw pushed off the ground hard and leaped onto his mentors back as quickly as possible before he could turn around. He wrapped his forepaws around Bumblestripe's neck and nipped his scruff and ears.

As he made to jump off, Bumblestripe spun around, making him loose his footing. Stormpaw fell to the ground with a soft thump but quickly scrambled to his paws and ran a few fox lengths away before his mentor could attack him. He spun around on one paw like when just before he was apprenticed and charged at his mentor, ducking under a paw swipe and battering his flank with sheathed paw.

"Enough!" shouted Bumblestripe, out of breath. Stormpaw wasn't even panting but Bumblestripe looked exhausted. "You fought very well and even when you lost your footing you stood up and faced me, there's one thing less for me to teach you." Stormpaw glowed with pride.

"What are you going to teach me now?" he asked optimistically.

"We are going to keep practising that move until you get it perfected. And I'll teach you how you could have sun around,"

Stormpaw nodded and crouched down again ready to run.

**Sorry if was a bit boring, next chapter will be their first Gathering!**

**QOTD: how do you think the Gathering will be?**

**Eaglehaze out! Peace!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 5

Leopardpaw crept along her branch silently. This wasn't hard for her at all and all instincts came naturally. She was peering down on Squirrelflight, standing out brightly against the blinding snow, trying to time her jump. When Squirrelflight was directly beneath her, Leopardpaw slipped off the side of her branch and fell quietly between the snow laden branches.

She landed squarely on Squirrelflight's back and held on as best she could without unsheathing her claws. Squirrelflight gave a yowl of surprise and reared up just as Leopardpaw leaped off, pushing her over backwards from her belly and jumping on top of her, battering her soft underbelly.

Leopardpaw nimbly jumped off to see Squirrelflight scramble to her paws and hiss threateningly before she realised it was her clanmate. "Well done Leopardpaw!" came a voice from up the tree she had just come from. It was Poppyfrost, who had been up showing her how the sky drop attack works with Eaglepaw and Dovewing. Poppyfrost had told her to jump on the first cat to wander under her tree. Poppyfrost and Dovewing slithered down the trunk to join them.

Squirrelflight shook herself. "That was a very impressive jump and you didn't flinch when you fell either. But there is another way to do it. First you jump out of a tree like you just did, but instead of landing on top of them, land beside them and get a few blows in. for you it would be best to have a partner to fight beside you considering this is your first battle."

"No problem!" Leopardpaw squeaked, "Me and Eaglepaw are fighting together. Where is Eaglepaw anyway?"

"Wasn't she-" began Poppyfrost before a mottled tabby blur caught the corner of her eye and her littermate landed beside her and battered at Leopardpaw's flank. Leopardpaw hissed and leaped to the side, turning to face Eaglepaw.

"You're going to have to be quicker than that!" exclaimed Eaglepaw, purring in amusement, "If I was a ShadowClan warrior I would have shred you!"

"No you wouldn't!" yelled Leopardpaw, pushing her sister into a snow drift. Eaglepaw jumped up almost as high as Leopardpaw and flicked the snow at her sister with her tail. It hit Leopardpaw squarely in the nose and made her sneeze, while she was distracted, Eaglepaw leaped at her and wrestled her to ground. Leopardpaw wormed her way out from under her and scrabbled up the nearest tree.

"What are you doing?" Poppyfrost shouted up. "We need to get back to camp!" Leopardpaw jumped down from the tree and sat in front of her mentor.

"Sorry." She said sincerely.

"It's okay, but we need to get back if we're going to the gathering. And we need to welcome the two new warriors." She replied.

Leopardpaw gave a little bounce. "The gathering! Wow our first gathering!" She meowed to Eaglepaw, whose eyes were glittering with excitement.

"Will Stormpaw, Lightningpaw and Wolfpaw be going too?" asked Eaglepaw.

"That's up to their mentors." Dovewing replied. "But it's likely since it's your first gathering. Come on, let's go." She added briskly.

Leopardpaw keenly trotted ahead of the group towards camp. The snow slowed each of them down and numbed their paws, soaking their pelts; by the time they reached camp they were all exhausted and cold. The whole clan was gathered below Highledge with Snowpaw, Amberpaw and Dewpaw at the front with Bramblestar. It was their warrior ceremony!

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Seedpaw and Lillypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." Their voices rang out in the cold dusk air.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names: Seedpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Seednose. StarClan honours your determination and loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bramblestar stepped forward and placed his head on Seednose's while Seednose licked his shoulder respectfully. He then went over to sit with all the other warriors.

Bramblestar then turned to Lillypaw. "Lillypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Lillyfrost. StarClan honours your intelligents and bravery and we welcome you as a full member ThunderClan." He rested his head on Lillyfrost's and she too licked his shoulder and joined her brother with the warriors.

The clan chanted out the names of the three new warriors, "Seednose! Lillyfrost!"

"Tonight you will sit vigil and your old mentors will collect you at dawn." Bramblestar told them.

Leopardpaw and Eaglepaw joined their littermates and friends at the fresh kill pile, including Redkit, Flashkit, Fawnkit, Owlkit, Firekit and Jaggedkit. They grabbed a squirrel to share.

"Hi guys." Greeted Flashkit. "How come you get to go the battle?" she added sharply.

"Good question." Said Cinderheart, settling down next to her kits and foster kits. "You have only just been apprenticed! I don't know how Bramblestar can send you off into battle like that!"

"We're fine, don't worry." Soothed Eaglepaw, "we already know lodes of battle moves! Look!" she told her mother. Eaglepaw gestured to Leopardpaw to follow and they padded a few tail lengths away. Leopardpaw knew what she was going to show them; they both nodded understanding and Eaglepaw leaped up onto halfrock. Leopardpaw pretended to be unaware of Eaglepaw poised on the rock and licked her paw. Eaglepaw leaped of it high and landed aside her, pummelling her side; Leopardpaw jumped to the side and faced her.

When Eaglepaw charged at her, Leopardpaw nimbly jumped high above her head, coming down on her back and pushing her underneath her.

"You see? We know what we're doing and besides, we aren't allowed to fight on our own anyways so our mentors will stay with us." Leopardpaw told her, trying to calm her down a bit.

"That was very impressive," Cinderheart admitted, "and since you're on the sky drop attack, I'll be there with you so I can keep an eye on you." Said Cinderheart, looking thoughtful. "And Lionblaze will be on the ground attack so he can keep an eye on you three." She said, looking at Wolfpaw, Stormpaw and Lightningpaw. "Don't worry; Daisy's going to take care of you while we're at the battle dears." She told her foster kits gently.

"Get that finished quickly you five," said Squirrelflight coming up to them from Highledge. "You still need to clean the out the dens before the gathering."

"Yes Squirrelflight." They mumbled around their mouthfuls of prey. Leopardpaw finished first and went ahead to the Elder's Den, Stormpaw joining her a little while later to help.

When they had finished the den they ran over to join their littermates, who had already finished. "What do you think it'll be like?" Leopardpaw asked eagerly.

"Who knows? We'll just have to see when we get there." replied Eaglepaw.

"All ThunderClan cats going to the gathering line up here!" Yowled Bramblestar from the thorn tunnel. As they started to move, Leopardpaw bounded forward with her littermates, following the long line of cats out into the snow laden forest.

They ran as quickly as possible, seeing as the snow made it hard to move, they had to pick up the pace. The moor had less snow as they ran out of the forest and across the border with WindClan; the moor cats appeared at the top of the hill and raced down to meet them. "I thought WindClan didn't like ThunderClan." Wolfpaw told her. "We've had huge battles and everything! So why are they talking to us?" he asked, gesturing to Bramblestar and Onestar running side by side.

"Maybe it's because we have a new leader?" Leopardpaw wandered, "I mean Onestar and Firestar had a long rivalry."

"Yeah." Wolfpaw murmured absently. Leopardpaw kept running until the clan slowed down to a halt, steadily moving forward. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Everyone's going across a tree to that island over there." Eaglepaw replied. When it was finally her turn to cross, she declined the offer for help and easily jumped up onto the trunk, balancing perfectly on the smooth bark. She speedily walked across it and jumped down beside her father.

"Well done." He praised warmly, "you kept up well with the clan. You all did." He added as her littermates crowded round. Her fur tingled as his tail swept down her back. "Now go and see the other clans, just remember that they're rivals, not friends." He told them.

Leopardpaw left her littermates and father and found a couple of apprentices talking. They smelled like fish and water, _RiverClan._ She padded over and joined them. "Hi, I'm Leopardpaw." She greeted friendlily. "Hi," said a black she cat with intense blue eyes and ginger spots, just a bit bigger than her, "I'm Gingerpaw and this is my Brother Marshpaw. She indicated to the slightly bigger tom with a mottled brown pelt with grey paws and emerald eyes.

"Hi, you're ThunderClan." He stated obviously.

"Congratulations." Leopardpaw said coolly.

"Don't mind my brother," Gingerpaw put in, "he has a habit of stating the obvious. So is this your first gathering?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Yes but I didn't come last moon because I had snuck out of camp and ended up in the lake. I wasn't that good at swimming then but I'm getting the hang of it." Leopardpaw was surprised, she had assumed that all RiverClan cat had been born with the ability to swim.

"Why did you sneak out?" Leopardpaw asked curiously.

"Because she's a fishbrain." Marshpaw said affectionately. Gingerpaw flicked him over the ear with her tail, "Says the tom who thought it was safe to walk across the frozen river, and ends up falling in."

"Exactly!" Marshpaw exclaimed indignantly, "That's what I was planning to do! Now we can get at the fish because I broke the ice!" Gingerpaw rolled her at Leopardpaw and she sniggered.

Just then a loud yowl came from the big oak tree. "Let the gathering begin!" it was a big black and white tom.

"That's Onestar, WindClan's leader." Marshpaw told them.

"Now that leafbear has begun," Onestar began, "the snow has arrived and prey has gotten scarce but we are strong and are managing to provide enough fresh-kill for our queens and elders. We have three new warriors, Whiskertail, Furzelight and Boulderpelt!"

All the clans chanted out the new warrior's names before Onestar carried on, "We also have three new apprentices, Fleetpaw, Mintpaw and Rabbitpaw, however, Rabbitpaw couldn't be here tonight as he was injured by the dog from Horseplace."

He stepped back with a nod to a blue-grey she cat. "That's Mistystar." Informed Marshpaw.

"We too are having trouble with prey but are managing and we also have two new kits born to Mosspelt!" she broke off to let the clans cheer congratulations before continuing, "We also have a new warrior Rushtail." She broke off again to let them chant his name, "whose sister Mossypaw should be here but tragically drowned by swimming in the river, a tree fell on top of her and she was trapped and drowned before help could come." She finished, her eyes clouding with sadness as the clans mourned her. She flicked her tail to the red-brown tom.

He stepped forward immediately, "We have two queens ready to kit any day now, three new warriors and four new apprentices, we also have four new born kits to Kinkfur!" he carried on before congratulations could erupt from the clans, "And as leafbear is surely hear now, we need new territory, surely, Bramblestar, you could give up some territory for our growing clan?"

_Sneaky! _Leopardpaw thought,_ He's trying to make him agree in front of the entire gathering!_ Bramblestar snarled, "ThunderClan has five new apprentices, two new warriors, four new elders, six kits and two expecting queens, I believe we need _our_ territory a bit more then you." He finished.

Rowenstar glared at him for a moment before returning to the crowd of cats, "Whether you like it or not, cats of ThunderClan, ShadowClan will be at the border at sunhigh to mark our new scent line, and my toughest warriors will be there waiting for you." He finished threateningly.

Bramblestar stood up again unwaveringly, "As you by now know, we have five new apprentices in our ranks, Stormpaw, Wolfpaw, Lightningpaw, Leopardpaw and Eaglepaw." He continued, ignoring Rowenstar's threat. Leopardpaw shrank down as every cat except ShadowClan called their names. "We also have two new warriors, Seednose and Lillyfrost," he paused as everyone cheered their new names, "they had to sit vigil tonight but will be with us next gathering. Four of our warriors have also joined the elders, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Greystripe and Skydrop, newly named from Millie. ThunderClan is strong." He added an obvious threat to Rowenstar as the Clans cheered out to the new elders.

"This gathering is over!" yelled Mistystar from her branch in the Great Oak jumping down. Onestar jumped down after her, quickly followed by Bramblestar, only Rowenstar remained, scanning the clearing with eyes of ice before jumping down into his ranks. "ThunderClan to me!" Yelled Bramblestar from near the tree bridge.

"I'll see you next moon Leopardpaw." Gingerpaw said, flicking her on the shoulder with her tail. Leopardpaw murmured a quick farewell before padding over to her littermates by the tree. "That was cheerful." She muttered to Eaglepaw as they set off over the tree bridge. When they emerged on the other side she continued, "I can't wait to chase the tails off those mangy pieces of fox dung!" she yowled.

"Yeah, we'll be training non-stop tomorrow; I can't see how the clan keeps fed with all the time we do training." Eaglepaw replied.

"Mm." Leopardpaw replied absently as she focused on running round the lake towards ThunderClan territory. They ploughed through the snow as quickly as possible, pelts soaking in the freezing mass of white, and jumped the stream marking their territory.

As they entered the hollow, Brierlight was at the entrance waiting for them. As soon as she saw them she dragged herself straight to Jayfeather, "Jayfeather! Sandstorm is coughing! I'm not sure if it's Whitecough or Greencough or just a sore throat but I thought you should know just encase." She said in a flurry of words.

Jayfeather looked perplexed, "It's okay Brierlight I'll go have a look now, go and get some tansy and Catmint if necessary and poppy seeds to help her sleep."

"Honestly Jayfeather I'm fine, it's just the snow getting in my throat." Said Sandstorm walking up from the elder's den with Greystripe waiting anxiously from the entrance. "Isn't that what you said the last time you had Greencough?" Jayfeather retorted, "and you shouldn't be out here tonight with all the snow and you might pass it onto one of the warrior's going to the battle with ShadowClan, we can't afford sick warriors."

Sandstorm glared at him then walked back to Greystripe, "Youngsters these days think they know it all." Leopardpaw heard her mutter. "Well he is the medicine cat." Greystripe replied before they both disappeared into the snow laden den.

Jayfeather padded up to Bramblestar, "We need to clear the camp of snow, especially now that sickness is here; we can't afford ill cats at a time like this."

"I agree Ivypool, Cloudtail, Thornclaw, Foxleap and myself will start on it right away, you go and tent to your patient." Bramblestar told him.

"I hope Sandstorm will be okay," Lightningpaw said, coming up beside her while they walked into the apprentices den. "Yeah, what if there's an outburst of Greencough?"

"I'm sure we'll be okay, I mean, it's not first time we had green cough. Last time Firestar and all the sick cats went to the abandoned twoleg nest and Jayfeather found some catmint and everything was okay, and Jayfeather's been collecting loads of catmint, I did spend ages in his den." He soothed.

They settled down in their nests, curled up and went to sleep.

**Yes *sighs* I know It's terrible... Oh well! **

**And sorry! I've just realised that I posted the same chapter twice but I have no idea how to deleat it because on my docs it doesn't show up so... sorry but just ignore that chapter. :) **

**QOTD: (did I do this last time? guess I forgot) Do you think Sandstorm will be OK?**

**Eaglehaze out! Peace!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 6

Wolfpaw stirred drowsily in his nest. Someone was prodding him and water was dripping down on him._ The snow must be melting_,I thought, snuggling deeper into the moss. The paw poked him again "Go away." He moaned as he batted away the paw. "Wolfpaw get up we need to prepare for the battle with ShadowClan."

Wolfpaw blearily opened one eye to see Eaglepaw standing over him. "Jayfeather need to get all his herbs ready for when we return and Sandstorm's cough is getting worse. Squirrelflight was late with her duties today because she was with Sandstorm."

He stumbled to his feet. "What do you need me to do?" He asked.

"Lionblaze told me to wake you then get some fresh kill; and then we're to see if Jayfeather needs us to help him." Eaglepaw explained.

They padded out of the den. The snow was gone, and puddles flooded the camp; snow clouds still hung threateningly in the air though. As he looked, he saw Snowpaw and Stormpaw going over their battle moves and Leopardpaw was practicing her sky drop attack with her mentor Poppyfrost. Wolfpaw spotted Lightningpaw padding into camp wearily. _Probably returning from guarding the border_. And sure enough, Brackenfur, Sorreltail and Cloudtail padded into Camp behind him.

Lightningpaw plodded up to them, "Hi, I've been guarding the border since before dawn and their hasn't been a whiff of ShadowClan at all, except when the dawn patrol came to mark their border, we hid so they wouldn't suspect anything but I don't think we fooled them. They were silent the entire time." He gave a huge yawn. "Anyways, I need to get some rest before the battle, wake me up when it's time to go." They murmured agreement and Lightningpaw padded into the apprentices den.

"Come on let's go." Eaglepaw mewed and they padded into the medicine den.

Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw padded into the medicine den, wishing they were out practising with their littermates. "Jayfeather, do you need any help? Asked Eaglepaw. Jayfeather was sorting out herbs, his back turned.

"Yes you can make yourself useful and go collect some herbs. I've had Brierlight treat Sandstorm all morning, and she's tired. Eaglepaw, I need you to collect some Catchweed, that fuzzy plan with burrs on it, from the hedge near the twoleg nest and while you're there get some catmint, the sweet smelling one and some lavender; get some comfrey root by the ShadowClan border and some Goldenrod by the moors. Do you understand?" Jayfeather asked sharply, not turning away from sorting herbs.

"Yes the Catchweed is the fuzzy plant with burrs on it up by the twoleg nest, the catmint is up there too and is really sweet smelling, the comfrey root is at the ShadowClan border and the Goldenrod is by the moor." Eaglepaw recited.

"Good, go grab a beech leaf from my store, use it to carry all the herbs." While Eaglepaw worked on that, Jayfeather started on Wolfpaw, not looking away from his herbs. I need you get some more cobweb and poppy seeds. There's a big patch of poppy flowers outside camp and the cobweb can be found everywhere, get as much as you can. Some horsetail over on the ShadowClan border but be careful they don't see you, that goes for you too Eaglepaw." He called as Eaglepaw was leaving with a mouthful of beech leaves. "And some tansy from near the Sky oak. Get some beech leaves and when you get back give the tansy to Brierlight in the elder's den."

"Yes Jayfeather." Wolfpaw mewed wearily as he trudged to back of his store to get some leaves.

It was almost sunhigh by the time Wolfpaw padded into camp, and everyone was getting ready to go. "I'm here." Gasped Wolfpaw who had awkwardly ran the best he could to get back to camp on time. "Good, now put those down and get ready to go."

"But what about the-" Wolfpaw started but got cut off by Jayfeather.

"Don't worry about the tansy I'll take it, now where's Eaglepaw?" Jayfeather asked.

Before he could answer Eaglepaw burst through the entrance "Sorry I'm late Jayfeather a WindClan patrol asked me what I was up to on their border but they didn't believe me because I'm not a medicine cat so-"

"It doesn't matter now give me the herbs and go and get ready, I think Bramblestar's leaving soon." They ran outside.

"All cats going to the battle gather beneath the Highledge!" Bramblestar's summon rang out across the hollow. Cats flooded the clearing, coming out of dens, the thorn tunnel and stopping their training to listen. Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw padded up and settled down.

"As you know we are about to enter battle to sustain _our _territory. You have all trained hard and we are ready. ShadowClan knows our Sky drop attack but we will surprise them and fight as one." Yowls of support rang out around the clearing, "We will win!" Bramblestar yowled and at that he leaped down from Highledge and streamed out of the thorn tunnel with most of ThunderClan on his tail.

Wolfpaw suddenly remembered something and he ran into the apprentices den. "Lightningpaw we're going!" he shouted and Lightningpaw jumped to his paws, eyes wide.

"Are we leaving now?" he asked alarmed.

"Yes and everyone's leaving, come on!" and with that Wolfpaw turned and pelted after his Clanmates who's last tail was disappearing through the thorn tunnel.

**Sorry for the boring chapter but the next one should be way more interesting!**

**QOTD: What do you think'll happen?**

**And I'm having difficulty updating right now so sorry if I don't update any time soon.**

**Eaglehaze out! Peace! **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 7 

Stormpaw padded after his Clanmates on the way to the ShadowClan border over all the wet twigs and branches from the snow. They hid in the undergrowth as planned and waited for ShadowClan to make the first move, Stormpaw crouched beside Bumblestripe and Lightningpaw, who had caught up with the patrol before they arrived with Wolfpaw, who was crouched next to Ivypool. It was ages until Stormpaw smelled ShadowClan's disgusting scent and the first cats arrived, Rowenstar in the lead.

"Ha!" Yowled a young ShadowClan warrior, "those ThunderClan flea pelts didn't even show up! Cowards!" He yelled into the seemingly empty forest. He and a bunch of warriors ran up and set foul markers on the first bush and tree they came to.

"Wait, it's too fresh here." Assessed Rowenstar, "maybe it's a-" he didn't get to finish his sentence, for Bramblestar gave out a bloodcurdling screech and all of ThunderClan forced upon them and the sky patrol leaped out of the trees and onto the unsuspecting warriors. Stormpaw and Lightningpaw bounded forward and grabbed at the first warrior they came to.

Lightningpaw and Stormpaw took turns in battering at the tom. Stormpaw bit down on his tail until he heard it crack while Lightningpaw confused him with his speed, running one then the other and then giving him a brutal claw along the side of his face until it reached his ear, making it bleed.

The warrior fought back though, turning on Stormpaw he clawed his flank but Stormpaw barely felt it, pushing him back, he pinned down the foolish warrior and Lightningpaw scratched and bit him until the cat went yowling back into his own territory.

Stormpaw and Lightningpaw then sought out Leopardpaw and Eaglepaw. Stormpaw spotted them skilfully swiping at a full grown warrior with Poppyfrost and Dovewing battling another two warriors. It didn't look like they needed help.

Brackenfur and Bumblestripe ran up to them a sigh of relief. "Don't go off like that." Brackenfur scolded while rearing up to a ShadowClan warrior, he swiped at him.

An apprentice came tearing at him, and Stormpaw swiftly dodged, spun on one paw to face her and rammed into her, winding her. She cried and Stormpaw scratched at her flank and ears as she tried to get up. "Foxheart!" she spat as she ran into a different part of the battle.

Suddenly, a loud, mournful cry came from the heart of the battle. All the cats stopped and stared at what was happening. Stormpaw pushed through all the watching cats to see Bramblestar lying limp in the jaws of a ShadowClan warrior. The cry had come from Squirrelflight, who was staring at her mate.

Her eyes became flames of fury, and she charged down Bramblestar's attacker. His leader fell to the floor, still unmoving. _What if he's really dead? _Stormpaw thought uneasily. It was a possibility, for Bramblestar's pelt was matted down with blood that smelled mostly to be his own and a severe scratch tore its way across his pelt from ear to tail tip.

After what seemed a lifetime, the ThunderClan leader started to stir. Squirrelflight, who had managed to pin his attacker down, scrambled off of him and bounded joyfully to her mates side. "Bramblestar? Bramblestar!" She cried as he gasped and opened his eyes.

A few ThunderClan warriors rushed forward to support their leader as he slowly got to his paws. "Make that a lesson from ShadowClan that you should always give us what we want." The attacker snarled, with yowls of agreement coming from most of the other enemies. "Now get off our territory."

Bramblestar growled and yowled into the forest. All the ThunderClan cats leaped into battle while Squirrelflight helped Bramblestar to the outskirts of battle. Stormpaw leaped into battle with Bumblestripe at his side to find that ShadowClan were winning, sure their pelts were bleeding and scratched but that was nothing compared to ThunderClan; who had ripped and torn ears and blood matted their pelts.

Stormpaw ripped at the nearest ShadowClan warrior only to get pushed back by five. Bumblestripe was fighting his own against three and Lightningpaw, Eaglepaw, Wolfpaw and Leopardpaw were nowhere to be seen._ I can't die like this! _He thought as he got crushed under a mangy ShadowClan pelt.

He clawed at it and tried to pull it off. When that didn't work, he relaxed and made himself go limp, the pelt crushing him loosened slightly and Stormpaw heaved upward, throwing the ShadowClan cat forward.

He leaped at it but was intercepted by another one and in his shock got pushed to the ground yet again. _Why did Bramblestar throw up back into battle when we had already lost? _Stormpaw thought hopelessly just as a dozen more ThunderClan cats flooded the clearing.

There was Brightheart, Leafpool, Thornclaw, Birchfall, Whitewing, Hazletail, Snowpaw, Seedpaw, Lillypaw and Seedpaw all lead by Dovewing. _Of course! _Stormpaw thought. _Dovewing heard Bramblestar's yowl and brought back-up!_

Thornclaw and Leafpool both bounded towards him and fluidly fought back the enemy cats pinning him down. As soon as the weight was lifted, Stormpaw leaped into battle beside them and soon sent the ShadowClan scum running back onto their territory.

A shriek made him spin around. He saw Dovewing fighting a brown tom with black stripes. "Tigerheart!" she screamed as he yowled furiously and sprang at her, pinning her down. Stormpaw's father ran towards his former apprentice and sprang at the tom, giving him a warning bite on the ear and sending him back onto his own territory.

Soon the only ShadowClan cat left was Rowenstar, who hissed at his Clanmates lying on the border, either out of breather or licking their wounds. Or both.

"Make that a lesson from ThunderClan," called Bramblestar, who had re-entered the battle and was out of breath of his recently lost life, "to _never _take what is ours." Rowenstar hissed and without a word, ran towards his camp, his Clanmates streaming after him.

ThunderClan let out a loud yowl of victory. All except for Bumblestripe who had ran up to Dovewing. Stormpaw followed him anxiously and saw Dovewing lying, unconscious, on the ground with a large but not too deep belly wound.

"Dovewing!" Bumblestripe called to his mate. "Bramblestar she needs help!" He cried to his leader.

Bramblestar stepped forward, "We all do, Thornclaw, Bumblestripe, help her to get back to camp, we need Jayfeather." ThunderClan turned around and started trudging back to camp, Stormpaw's mentor keeping a firm grip on Dovewing's scruff while Thornclaw supported her from dragging on the ground.

When they got back to camp, Bumblestripe and Thornclaw laid Dovewing down and Jayfeather and Brierlight came rushing up to her, jaws full of herbs. They didn't ask questions, just got on with their work, Jayfeather occasionally telling Brierlight to get some more herbs.

Soon Jayfeather said, "She's going to be fine, but she will need to stay in the medicine den while she heals. I'm sorry Bumblestripe, but right now it looks like she will be unable to deliver your kits, or ever have kits again."

Bumblestripe yowled and dug his nose into her fur. Jayfeather carried her into the medicine den along with Bumblestripe's help. He emerged soon after with more herbs and started treating the most injured.

Stormpaw glanced at his fur to see it sticky with blood. He began licking at it and uncovered some minor scratches, all except for a stinging bite in his tail and his shredded ear. Leopardpaw and Wolfpaw walked up to him, Wolfpaw limping from a deep gash in his paw and Leopardpaw wincing at a long scratch on her flank. Both had numerous other battle marks to show.

"Hi," Wolfpaw mewed in relief, "that was horrible."

"I know! I mostly kept to the trees but this warrior Ratscar got a hold of me and gave me this wretched scratch!" Leopardpaw explained, "I only got away when Wolfpaw and Ivypool found me. Apparently Ratscar used to train in the Dark Forest with her, and he was using their moves."

"Really?" Stormpaw replied. "Where's Bramblestar?" He asked, looking around for his leader.

Wolfpaw twitched his whiskers. "He's just lost a life and is still weak. He's in the medicine cat den."

"But he fought even after he lost a life." Stormpaw mewed confusedly.

"He was trying not to look weak in front of ShadowClan." Leopardpaw reminded him, "didn't you notice him stumble and how his voice shook when he spoke."

"No, I guess I'm just tired. My wounds don't hurt so I'm going off to my nest. See you later." He told them and they nodded in agreement before padding off to the medicine den. He stumbled over to the apprentices den and found Eaglepaw and Lightningpaw curled up. He settled down next to them, immediately falling asleep.

**Nooo! Poor Dovewing! Oh well, you'll just have to see what happens next ;)**

**QOTD: Do you have any ideas for what could come later on in the story? Because I do but's a sort of ending thing so I need something to fill in the gap. And your idea may not be used right away because something else is going to happen. PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Eaglehaze out! Peace!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 8

Eaglepaw woke next to Stormpaw and Lightningpaw, Leopardpaw and Wolfpaw sleeping a bit further along. She got up and stretched, arching her slender back. Walking outside she saw Squirrelflight giving out the usual patrols. "Eaglepaw, you're on border patrol with Dovewing, Thornclaw, Foxleap and Wolfpaw!" She shouted over.

It had been almost a moon and a half since the battle with ShadowClan and the sick cats had recovered. Dovewing had been excused from the medicine den not even half a moon ago and was strictly on light duties. Her belly was big enough now for her to be in the nursery but she refused, determined to catch up Eaglepaw's training.

While she had been recovering, Foxleap had been her mentor. He had been nice but quite unsure of himself, teaching her skills that she had already been taught.

Bramblestar had recovered a lot sooner, staying in the medicine den for only one night and getting back to normal duties the next day despite Jayfeather's protests.

However, Sandstorm's cough had in fact been whitecough that had spread to some of the other elders, Greystripe and Purdy, and to some of the warriors, Birchfall and Hazeltail, who had promptly been moved to the medicine den in case it spread even more. Luckily, Jayfeather and Brierlight had been preparing long before it happened and had a full supply of catmint although it was running out fast.

She padded up to the patrol and followed them out of camp and up the ShadowClan border. They were weary as they approached but all was quiet and they soon set the markers back in place. They then moved onto the WindClan border, splitting up.

Eaglepaw marked the border on the side of the stream before the woods on their territory. After making her way up to them, gradually, she smelled an unfamiliar smell, one that made her fur bristle. Suddenly, a huge red creature burst from the undergrowth, jaws snapping the air where she had been a moment before.

_This must be a fox._ She thought. Eaglepaw jumped back as it slashed again then, thinking fast, she ran around behind it and fixed her jaws onto its tail, ignoring the disgusting taste as blood filled her mouth, crunching hard until she heard bone crack. Snarling, the fox spun around, dislodging her from its tail and slamming her against a tree, dazing her.

The fox slowly stalked towards her, as if knowing it was over. Eaglepaw's head was spinning but she staggered to her paws, swaying, to meet her death. Just then, a yowl sounded from somewhere across the stream and suddenly, the fox was bowled over. Struggling to see properly through her swirling vision, she made out a cat just a bit bigger than her, wrestling with the foul creature.

Snapping out of her daze, she shook her head roughly to get rid of the stars and leaped to her saviour's aid. Eaglepaw bounded forward and slashed at the fox's muzzle. It snarled and clawed open long forgotten battle's wound on her flank that she gotten from the ShadowClan attack. Yowling, she backed towards the nearest tree and let the fox think she was giving in; Eaglepaw quickly leaped up and pushed off it, landing behind and fox, now making it trapped. The WindClan cat pushed it against the tree while she ripped at its face, making scratches that would soon scar.

But however many times they slashed at it, the fox seemed to shake it off and push back harder. Soon they were exhausted and the fox was closing in on them. While they prepared once again to meet their end, a piercing battle cry echoed around the trees and Foxleap, Ivypool and Wolfpaw raced to their side with Thornclaw coming up from the lake. They leaped at the fox while Eaglepaw and the WindClan cat gave sigh of relief and backed off to leave it to the fresh and experienced warriors.

Once in the shade of the trees, Eaglepaw got to take a good look at her saviour. He was a brown tom with black markings on his tail, paws, back and face with sparkling green eyes. "Thank you." She managed to mew after an awkward silence.

He turned to face her, "I only did what I had to do." He mewed shortly, turning his head back to look at the fox as it ran away into the forest with the ThunderClan patrol on its tail.

They waited in silence, Eaglepaw shuffling her paws impatiently. Finally the patrol returned, bloodied and battered.

"Thank you for helping our apprentice." Thornclaw panted, "you are welcome to come to our camp to get treated."

The apprentice looked thoughtful for a moment before mewing, "Thank you." Thornclaw nodded and turned back towards camp. When the WindClan tom padded at Eaglepaw's side, she inwardly hissed and sped ahead of them, keeping just behind Thornclaw since he was still leader of the patrol. Despite his help he was still an enemy cat, perfectly capable of jumping the small stream literally two tail lengths away and walking back to his camp.

When the blissful moment of when they got back to camp arrived, Eaglepaw and the most injured of the patrol escorted the enemy tom to the medicine den, earning some glares from their Clanmates.

Eaglepaw listened to the recount of what had happened while Brierlight treated her scratches. She did her best not to wince as cobwebs were pressed into the deep scratch on her flank. "You're going to need to stay in here for the rest of the day, if not longer to recover." Brierlight mewed apologetically, pointing with her tail to an empty nest.

"How is Dovewing?" she mewed. Remembering that she had been excused not long before.

"She's almost completely better. Better enough to start your training again. She asked to go out later with you, as long as you don't strain yourself." Brierlight mewed kindly.

"Does Bumblestripe know? About her getting better I mean."

"Yes, he had been in here so much that Jayfeather banned him from the medicine den, saying he wasn't allowed in unless his tail fell off." Brierlight mewed, whiskers twitching in amusement.

"Can I go and get some fresh kill at least?" Eaglepaw pleaded, not wanting to get cooped up.

She flicked her ears. "Okay but come straight back." She mewed before turning to the WindClan apprentice. _I almost forgot he was here! _Eaglepaw thought, surprised. He had been so quiet. _  
_

Eaglepaw stalked from the den, fur prickling in annoyance. She grabbed two mice from the pile for Jayfeather and Brierlight, a starling for Dovewing when she woke up and a vole for herself. She padded back, wincing in pain as she stumbled on a rock fallen from the top of the hollow, stinging her injured side.

As she walked inside she dropped the prey off for the others and settled down in her nest to eat. "Well I should really get back to my Clan." stated the WindClan apprentice who was looking worriedly at the rising sun, "I was supposed to be hunting and they will be looking for me."

"Don't worry about that," Brierlight mewed, showing no trace of emotion, "just worry about getting some rest and then a patrol will escort you back at dusk."

"I don't need help!" he hissed. Eaglepaw glared at him before laying her head down to rest, "Wake me up at sunhigh." She said before drifting into a dreamless sleep.

"Eaglepaw, wake up!" whispered an unfamiliar voice. She raised her head to find a pair of calm green eyes right in front of her face. She recoiled angrily as she recognised who it was. "What are you doing?"

"You said to wake you at sunhigh. It's sunhigh." He mewed calmly.

"You don't say." Eaglepaw hissed, "And how do you know my name?"

"I heard Brierlight say it when she was talking to Jayfeather. And I'm Rabbitpaw seeming as you were _so _keen to know. What's up with Brierlight's legs anyway?" The obnoxious tom asked.

"Why don't you but out of other Clans' business?" Eaglepaw spat.

The tom flicked his tail and then curled up in his nest. Clenching her teeth against the pain, she stood up, not wanting to show weakness. She walked towards Wolfpaw and Stormpaw, who were battle training in the middle of the clearing.

Stormpaw had always been stronger than the rest of them, but Wolfpaw looked as though he had the upper paw. As Stormpaw lunged, Wolfpaw used their brother's tactic of spinning on one paw, dodging neatly out of the way; he then sprang on top of Stormpaw: pinning him.

"Don't you have better things to do then scuffle around camp?" Eaglepaw asked, whiskers twitching.

Her brothers turned to face her and padded up to her. "Well Bumblestripe and Ivypool are out on patrol and told us to stay behind and rest. We were out hunting all morning but neither of us are tired." Stormpaw mewed.

Eaglepaw sighed. "Well thanks for coming to visit me earlier. Oh wait, you didn't? My bad." She mewed sarcastically.

Her brothers exchanged a guilty look before Stormpaw retorted, "We did but you were asleep!"

"Sure." Eaglepaw said disbelievingly. Brackenfur's patrol showed up at the thorn tunnel as she began to limp back, flanking WindClan warriors. Gasps and snarls rang out as they entered the clearing, fur bristling, eyes burning. Bramblestar ran up to them. "Why are you in our territory?"

The leader of the patrol, Leaftail, spoke up menacingly. "You have our apprentice and we have come to reclaim him, we followed his scent line over _your _border!"

The apprentice behind the lithe tom growled, "Thieves." Growls came from some ThunderClan cats but no one did anything, Bramblestar carried on calmly, "Your apprentice had a scuffle with a fox on our territory. He came across to help one of our apprentices so we took him back so he could recover before we brought him back at dusk. He is in the medicine den; Eaglepaw will fetch him for you." He told them, turning his bright amber eyes on her.

Eaglepaw sighed inwardly and padded up to the medicine den. "You're going home." She mewed and walked out before he had a chance to reply. He poked his head out and looked around before spotting his Clanmates and painfully running up to them. They greeted him with a nod then turned back to Bramblestar.

"Thank you for taking care of him, we can make it back to our territory without an escort." Leaftail mewed.

"I know but my warriors will still see you to the border." Bramblestar told them. Leaftail angrily flicked his tail but new better than to object. Brackenfur's patrol took up position beside them and led them out into the forest.

The mouse scuttled around the tree roots in search for beech nuts, splashing the melt water of the snow. Quietly, feet barely touching the ground, she leaped, killing the mouse with a swift bite to the neck.

"Well done Eaglepaw!" Eaglepaw's mentor and littermates congratulated her. It was a big patrol, with Eaglepaw, her littermates and all of their mentors. They were having a competition to see who could catch the most prey, the rest of the patrol had returned while she had begun her stalking, thankfully having the sense to keep quiet. Eaglepaw and Wolfpaw had both caught the same amount of prey: Eaglepaw catching a vole, a blackbird, a sparrow and two mice. Wolfpaw managing to catch a robin, three mice and a scrawny rabbit.

"Well done Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw, you both get first pick off the pile tonight." Said Ivypool, "But before we go back we would like to test your tracking skills, your task is to find your mentor but we will try to disguise our scents. If you haven't found us by dusk head back to the hollow, leave your prey here for another warrior to pick up on the dusk patrol. Do you understand?" The apprentices nodded eagerly and deposited their prey under the withered leaves. The sun was about a mouse length above the tree line. This was going to take a while.

Dovewing came up to her. "So you will start tracking me after the time it takes to eat a mouse." She said before disappearing into the undergrowth. Eaglepaw and her littermates were left alone in the clearing by Sky Oak, devising plans on how to find their mentors. Finally it seemed long enough and Eaglepaw got up.

"We should get going, see you later." She called over her shoulder and she left the way her mentor had gone. Sniffing, she easily picked up her scent and followed it up the old thunderpath, loosing it in the wet ferns. Circling the area, Eaglepaw tried to pick it up again and found it, fainter than before. Following it again, she realised that it veered off towards the WindClan border, stronger and fresher than it had been to begin with. _She's close. _She thought. Taking in a deep breath, opening her mouth slightly, the scent lingered, but didn't lead anywhere. _She must be up that tree. _Eaglepaw realised, resisting the urge to glance upwards.

Pretending to have picked up a scent, Eaglepaw padded a small distance away so that Dovewing would have thought her gone. Climbing a tree herself, trying not to strain her shoulder, she waited stiffly on a branch and waited for her to walk under her branch, as she was sure to do so that she knew what she was up to. And soon enough, Dovewing strolled right beneath her branch, unaware of Eaglepaw's presence above her. Suddenly, Dovewing stopped and glanced up at her branch. Eaglepaw jumped.

She landed right on her mentor's shoulders and she tackled her to the floor although not without hissing in pain herself. "Ha! I win!" Eaglepaw cried triumphantly. She glanced down at her mentor who was laying still on the ground. Something wasn't right. Dovewing's breathing was coming in small gasps and ripples were coursing through her body. _The kits! _

The thought hit her and she immediately fell down beside her mentor, pressing up beside her and giving her soothing licks. "Help!" She called, unwilling to leave her mentor.

"Eaglepaw," Dovewing gasped, "get that stick." She ordered and Eaglepaw rushed over and carried the stick back to her mentor. She settled it down in front of her and Dovewing took it in her jaws. "Get help." She groaned around her stick as another contraction seized her.

Eaglepaw nodded and rushed away, keeping in ear range of Dovewing and calling for help. Finally she saw Wolfpaw crash through the undergrowth. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Dovewing's kitting! Go and get help!" She ordered him. A look of panic flared through his silver eyes before he dashed off. Eaglepaw rushed back to her mentor's side, pressing up to her again. "It's okay Dovewing, Wolfpaw's going to get help. You're going to be fine." She murmured as much to comfort herself as it was to comfort Dovewing.

Eaglepaw soon realised that Dovewing's breathing seemed to be strained and she leaped to her paws, and by doing so giving more air to her mentor. Soon Dovewing was wailing and a kit slithered onto the earthy floor. Eaglepaw rushed over to it, nipping open the sack and instinctively licking it the wrong way.

It soon took a long breath and Eaglepaw laid it at its mothers belly to suckle but then snatched it away again as Dovewing gave off another loud wail. Suddenly, cats burst into the clearing: Poppyfrost, Leopardpaw and Ivypool, being led by Wolfpaw. Eaglepaw stood up. "She already has one kit, a tom, but I don't know what to do now!" She wailed helplessly like a kit.

Poppyfrost rushed passed her followed closely by Ivypool. Leopardpaw came and joined them. Wolfpaw pressed his pelt against her's. "She's going to be okay, Poppyfrost's with her." He murmured.

"And what if she's not?" Eaglepaw replied, glancing at her mentor in anguish.

"Then it's not your fault." Leopardpaw mewed.

"But it is! If I hadn't leaped on her she would be completely fine right now and would have made it back in time to get to the nursery." She told them, feeling sick.

They didn't question her, they just pressed closer until all the wailing had stopped. They padded forward cautiously and saw Dovewing lying in a roughly made nest of moss and grass with three kits suckling her belly. She looked exhausted, almost asleep after her painful experience. Jayfeather was trying to feed her herbs while Brierlight, who must have made it here after the rest of them, was soothing her and encouraging her to eat. Ivypool laid next to her while Poppyfrost, having been a queen herself, looked on worriedly.

Eaglepaw padded over. "Can I help carry the kits back?" She asked timidly.

"Yes, take the first one." Dovewing mewed tiredly. Eaglepaw did so as Ivypool took the next and Poppyfrost taking the last. Dovewing stumbled to her paws and started making their way slowly back to camp.

When they arrived back at camp, warriors started crowding round to see the new kits. "Don't you have nests to clean out?" Jayfeather mewed irritably as he padded up from the medicine den. The cats backed off and they entered the nursery. "Wolfpaw, Poppyfrost, Ivypool and Leopardpaw out." Jayfeather snapped. "You too Eaglepaw.

"Wait, let her stay." Dovewing murmured wearily, I couldn't have done it without her." Jayfeather sighed but flicked his tail. Eaglepaw padded forwards and placed the kit at it's mother's side. It automatically knew which direction to go in and started suckling.

"Thank you Eaglepaw," Dovewing mewed form beside her, "you helped me, you're not only an outstanding apprentice, but also a really good friend." Eaglepaw's heart swelled.

"But, if it wasn't for me jumping on you, then you would have been fine, you could have made it back to the nursery." Eaglepaw replied sourly.

"No, I was already feeling it and I'm okay, the kits are okay and I'm safely in the nursery." She looked at her kits with pride and love. "Do you want to help name them?" She asked.

"What? No I couldn't!" Eaglepaw cried, shocked.

"It's fine, you did help and I want you to." Dovewing replied.

Eaglepaw looked over the kits, she would name the one she had helped. It had a light grey and brown pelt with almost black markings and very pale paws. It also had light brown ears and small brown markings on his pelt. "How about Larkkit for the tom?" She asked, remembering the rare bird that she and her mentor had spotted a couple days ago.

"It's perfect," she purred, licking her kit in between the ears. "you can tell Bumblestripe and Ivypool to come in now, I want them to name the other two kits." Eaglepaw nodded and left the sweet smelling nursery. The sun was sinking now and dusk was on the way. Lightningpaw and Brackenfur padded into the clearing, Lightningpaw looking pleased with himself. When he saw her, he bounded up to her, "I found him! We only took so long because we stopped to hunt."

"Yeah have you seen Stormpaw and Bumblestripe, Dovewing needs him." Eaglepaw asked distractedly, straining to see out the thorn tunnel.

"Yes, we passed Stormpaw while we were hunting, he was following Bumblestripe's scent. It was pretty fresh too so they should be back any moment now." He replied matter-of-factly. "I'm going to find Ivypool." She said eventually before getting to her paws and padding up to the warriors den.

"Ivypool?" She called in softly. Ivypool's head lifted wearily, "Dovewing wants to see you." She told her before backing out of the den. Ivypool arrived a moment later, sprinting over to the nursery.

Finally, well after dusk had set, Bumblestripe and Stormpaw entered the clearing. "What took you so long?" Eaglepaw hissed, bounding up to her brother and giving him a shove. "We went hunting." He growled defensively, "and there's no need to get like that!"

Eaglepaw turned to Bumblestripe, "Dovewing needs you in the nursery, she's had her kits!" She mewed. Bumblestripe's eyes lit up with worry and her raced over to the nursery, Eaglepaw on his tail. As she entered, she heard a startled gasp of pleasure and Bumblestripe was on the ground beside his mate. "How?" was all he could say.

Eaglepaw began the story from when she had leaped on her to when they had got her back to the nursery. Bumblestripe purred. What should we name them?" He asked.

"Eaglepaw has already named this one," Dovewing told them, pointing to Larkkit with her tail, "Larkkit."

"That's a beautiful name Eaglepaw," Ivypool told her, "so what do you need us for?"

"I need you two to name the last two." Dovewing told them.

Ivypool nodded and stared at the last two kits for a moment, "Skykit." she said, pointing to the she-kit with a silver-blue pelt and darker grey ringing her legs, tail and marking her face with two streaks.

Dovewing and Bumblestripe nodded in approval, "I think the last one should be called Grasskit." He said, referring to the she-kit with a silver pelt patched with flaming red and brown.

Dovewing nodded, "They're wonderful names." She said before falling into a deep sleep. Eaglepaw and Ivypool exited the den, leaving Bumblestripe with his mate. They both plodded to the fresh kill pile. Ivypool left her and settled down next to Foxleap while Eaglepaw took her vole over to Wolfpaw to share.

They ate without a word and then slowly padded into the apprentices den, exhausted after their long day.

***sighs* I know, big Mary Sue, I already know so no flamers on that particular subject at least... please.**

**Ugh, in my defence I really don't feel well, so. Oh well.**

**R&R! Eaglehaze out! Peace!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 9 

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Came the usual summons. Lightningpaw groggily staggered from his nest and stumbled out into the clearing to see the whole of ThunderClan pad sleepily into the clearing. It was just past dawn and the patrol had gotten back._ I hope there isn't trouble. _

Redkit and the others strutted forward, chests puffed out, into the clearing. _It must be their apprentice ceremony. "_Redkit, Flashkit, Owlkit and Fawnkit step forward. Even though you were not born to the Clan, you have the potential to be loyal warriors. Redkit, you have reached your sixth moon and is ready to become an apprentice. From this moment forth, until you receive your warrior name, you will be know as Redpaw, your mentor will be Thornclaw."

"Thornclaw, you have trained many of ThunderClan's cats into brilliant warriors, I hope you will do the same for Redpaw." Thornclaw padded forward and touched noses, Redpaw bounding up enthusiastically. Bramblestar then turned to Flashkit and named her Flashpaw with the mentor Spiderleg, Fawnpaw with the mentor Brightheart and finally, surprisingly, Owlpaw with the mentor Bramblestar.

"I will do my best to mentor this young apprentice." Bramblestar finished to appreciative murmuring from throughout the Clan.

"Owlpaw always was the shyest one of the litter," Cinderheart was saying to Lionblaze. "I hope they'll be okay."

"They will be," Lionblaze replied affectionately, "Bramblestar picked Owlpaw because of his shyness, he thinks he will make a brilliant warrior but first he needs to get more confident.

"The cats going to the Gathering tonight are: Cloudtail, Brackenfur, Thornclaw, Leafpool, Birchfall, Whitewing, Berrynose, Poppyfrost, Lionblaze, Foxleap,Toadstep, Ivypool, Seednose, Lillyfrost, Snowpaw, Dewpaw, Wolfpaw, Lightningpaw and Eaglepaw. Any of the elders are welcome to come too." Bramblestar finished before stepping down.

Lightningpaw bounded over to Redpaw and the others. "Congratulations!" He purred as he reached them. Leopardpaw, Eaglepaw, Wolfpaw and Stormpaw bounded up beside him and yowled their congratulations too. "Pity you guys don't get to go to the Gathering." Leopardpaw said apologetically. "But don't worry, you'll get to go next time and I'll be here to keep you company, and so will Stormpaw." She mewed brightly.

"Thanks! I can't wait to get started on my training!" Redpaw mewed excitedly.

"Redpaw, Fawnpaw, Owlpaw and Flashpaw! Come on we're going to take you explore the territory!" Yowled Bramblestar from the thorn tunnel. Flashpaw skipped with excitement and the new apprentices raced off towards their mentors.

"Lightningpaw!" Brackenfur called coming up to them, "You, me, Ivypool, Foxleap and Icecloud are going out on border patrol, meet us at the thorn tunnel once you've had some fresh kill." Lightningpaw nodded and chose a small mouse from the pile.

Considering it was the middle of Leafbare, it was tough and stringy, but he managed to choke it down before scampering towards the barrier. They padded out into the frosty forest, snow dotting the ground here and there. They walked up the ShadowClan border, marking it thoroughly before movie on.

"Let's hunt before we go down the WindClan border." Brackenfur mewed. "Bramblestar isn't expecting us back right away so we have time, just be back before sunhigh, so the sunhigh patrol can set off." Everyone nodded and split up. To him, this was his first solo hunting mission, he had to get it right. He padded near the back border, up to where their territory ended but the forest stretched on for moons. In his second moon of training Lightningpaw had found a popular clearing for prey just on the verge of their territory, where the scent markers were barely distinguishable, as though no cat had entered that place in moons.

As he made his way towards it, excited chattering warned him of new apprentices. Unwilling to waste any time, he quickly rushed forwards and dashed through the thick bushes, so twisted it was no wonder no cat ever came here. He emerged into the clearing.

As he sniffed around he caught the scent of vole. Hiding behind a thick clump of grass, he slowly pushed his way through, padding lightly and quietly, spotting the small creature snuffling around the over grown grass. Stealthily, Lightningpaw padded forwards until he was practically on top of his prey before lashing out with one unsheathed paw. Whiskers twitching in satisfaction, he bent down a picked up his prey; his belly rumbled but he ignored it. _The Clan must be fed first. _Burying the vole, he sniffed around some more but his fur lifted from his shoulders when he smelled a cat. Definitely not ThunderClan, or any other Clan for that matter.

Crouching low, he rustled through the long grass. Peering through, he saw a cat with the most unusual coat he had ever seen. It was black with dark grey flecks on it but what was strange was the way they seemed to melt into each other. And her eyes were like rings of fire. And she was steeling _his _prey.

Scampering in front of her was a squirrel, unusually plump compared to all the other prey in leafbare. She was clumsily crashing towards it, stepping on every twig and clashing every pebble she came across. Not to mention how the grass rustled and waved wildly, casting its rapidly swaying shadow across the squirrel. What Lightningpaw hadn't noticed before, was that the squirrel was injured, dragging its leg behind it as it scrabbled vainly at a tree.

Every mouse length up the tree it managed to make was proved pointless as it tried to use its injured leg to climb, which made it tumble down. The she cat was still crashing around in the grass so Lightningpaw bunched his muscles and leaped, killing the squirrel with a swift bite to the neck. The mottled black and grey she cat finally emerged from the long grass and stared at Lightningpaw. Seeing the squirrel in his jaws her face contorted with anger, twisting into a hungry snarl. She did look awfully thin.

"This is _my _territory!" She snarled, "that is my prey now give it back!" Lightningpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement as she bunched her hind legs. "Actually, this is my territory." Lightningpaw stated matter of factly, and then dropping low in a battle crouch he mewed, "And if you don't get off in the next few heartbeats you _will_ regret it!" The she cat flattened her ears.

"Please." She mewed. Lightningpaw realised that she _needed _this prey.

"Who else is with you?" He asked curiously.

She snarled defensively, "What makes you think there is anyone else?"

"Because you're desperate, I can tell." Lightningpaw mewed simply.

The she cat sighed. "My mother, she is ill and hasn't yet taught me how to hunt. This is my first time. We haven't had fresh kill in days and we are starving. Please." She repeated pitifully.

His heart wrenched at the thought of not having food in days and on top of it having your mother ill as well. Lightningpaw shrugged and threw her the squirrel. She snatched it up gratefully and nodded her head in farewell. "Thank you, and I wont enter your territory again.

"Wait!" He called and as she turned, against all his better judgement, he mewed. "You will never catch anything when you hunt like that. Meet me here tomorrow night and I can teach you if you like." With her mouth full, she just nodded gratefully, eyes shining with excitement and anticipation. She swished her tail then left, running through the bushes at the other side of the clearing.

He glanced at the sky. There was still a while before sunhigh came, so he continued to hunt.

When he returned to the patrol, he had caught three mice, and vole, a squirrel and a blackbird and the sun was just passed its peak. He had needed two trips to take it all back. As they passed by the Abandoned Twoleg nest Icecloud mewed, "Oh yeah! I forgot, Jayfeather needs some Catmint, he reckons the Greencough will get worse so we need some more, can one of you help me carry it back?"

"Lightningpaw can help, I'll carry some of his prey." Brackenfur mewed. Lightningpaw inwardly groaned, he didn't want to carry back some mangy herb! He wanted to finish the patrol and play fight with his littermates!

Reluctantly, he dropped his prey at Brackenfur's feet and plodded after Icecloud and clambered over the wall, nearing the back of the nest. "Okay, its a green plant with soft leaves and delicious smell. Carry it, don't let any moisture go onto your tongue. _As if I didn't know! _Lightningpaw thought spitefully.

After sniffing around for a small while, he caught the most fragrant and enticing smell he had ever smelled. "Icecloud, over here!" He called. Icecloud padded up and brushed past him , stooping at a lush, green herb. She gathered a leaf in her mouth, letting the juices trickle into her mouth. "Yes, this is it, help me carry some."

They arrived back at camp with jaws laden with catmint. Padding over to Jayfeather's den, he dropped it and padded out without a word. Settling down by the fresh kill pile with a puny thrush at his paws, he had his thoughts to himself. _Why had he offered to train that rouge to hunt? He didn't really know why but he felt sympathy for her, and her mother. I don't even know her name!_

"Lightningpaw! Squirrelflight called, "you need to get some rest before the gathering." Too tired to argue, he nodded and dragged his paws over to the apprentices den.

He woke up again with Eaglepaw standing over him and the moon rising steadily through the branches next to her head. Without a word, he nodded to his sister and climbed out of his nest. Half the Clan was already lined up at the thorn tunnel. He joined Wolfpaw with Eaglepaw right behind him. "Do you think Rowenstar is going to say anything about the battle?" Wolfpaw asked.

"Probably not. He wont want the other Clans to think ShadowClan is weak." Eaglepaw said wisely.

"You think they don't know?" Lightningpaw stated humorously. Wolfpaw laughed and Eaglepaw butted his flank.

"Let all cats going to the Gathering gather here!" Bramblestar called. Once all the remaining cats had gathered, ThunderClan set off at a run, loping through the trees in silence. Lightningpaw relished the wind in his fur, felling as though he was flying. By the looks of it, his siblings thought so too.

They arrived at the island, scrabbling over the slippery bark of the tree bark like last time. ThunderClan padded through the trees to see a full gathering. As soon as Bramblestar jumped up in the tree Mistystar got to her paws and yowled, "Let all cats gather here!"

"RiverClan has been having some difficulty with the amount of prey like in all Clans, however we are managing and we are strong." She finished shortly. Bramblestar stood up next.

"We are coping well and are recovering from the battle held against ShadowClan. The prey is running well." He stated shortly. "However, our queen Dovewing gave birth to her kits yesterday. They are named Skykit, Larkkit and Grasskit." He finished with pride.

Rowenstar and Onestar went next, not mentioning the battle against ThunderClan at all however revealing that Littlecloud had gotten a new apprentice. Onestar revealed that Ashfoot had retired from being deputy and in her place was Gorsetail. When they jumped down from the Great Oak Lightningpaw and his littermates padded over to a group of apprentices that were play fighting beside a large rock. "Hi, can we join you?"

One of the RiverClan cat's eyes turned to them. "You're Leopardpaw's littermates aren't you? Is she here?" She asked eagerly.

Before Lightningpaw had a chance to reply Eaglepaw shook her head beside him. "No, sorry. So can we join?" She asked again, flicking her tail at the ShadowClan, RiverClan and WindClan apprentices that were trying to see who was fastest by racing from the rock to the Great Oak. Lightningpaw brightened immediately. Finally something he was perfect for!

The RiverClan she cat nodded before introducing them. "I'm Gingerpaw, this is my brother Marshpaw, That ShadowClan grump is Duskpaw, he wasn't here last moon because his apprenticeship was delayed for a moon, the ShadowClan she cat is Acornpaw, the WindClan apprentices are Rabbitpaw, Fleetpaw and Mintpaw but you know that already. Come on!"

Lightningpaw and his littermates padded forward. They joined them in their race. "Just don't crash into it this time." Wolfpaw mewed at his ear. Lightningpaw flicked his ear as the WindClan tom yowled, "Ready, set, go!" Running forward carefully, he kept in front of the WindClan she cat by a foxlength and a bit, keeping slower then he usually would.

Coming up to the large tree, he skidded to a halt before racing back the way he came. As he stopped at the large rock he turned back to see the WindClan tom jumping up and springing off of the Great Oak and pelting back his way. "Impressive." Lightningpaw said.

"You're fast." The tom stated.

"I know. Anything new?"

"No. You should have done that. If you'd jumped off the rock you could have kept up the speed. Otherwise you could run straight into it." Lightningpaw nodded thankfully as the other apprentices gathered around.

"Let's do jumping." The ShadowClan she cat said enthusiastically. The others nodded and looked up into the think branches of the oak.

"But RiverClan and WindClan doesn't climb." Marshpaw said uneasily as he peered up.

"Yeah but you're not really climbing though are you, it's just jumping onto a branch." Eaglepaw told him. He nodded and leaped up as high as possible. He scrabbled at one of the branches, hanging on with his forepaws and back legs churning. Finally he hauled himself onto the branch before leaping down again. "Never make me do that again!"

Soon enough, the Clans were leaving and Lightningpaw and his littermates were padding back to camp. All Lightningpaw could think about was tomorrow night where he would train that rouge to hunt. _Why did I do this again? _

"No! Keep your tail still!" Lightningpaw snarled at the rouge. Almost the whole night and she still hadn't learned the meaning of stealth.

"I'm trying! You're not exactly the most patient teacher!" She spat back. "Now I'm having a rest! You've been working me all night." Lightningpaw sighed before settling down beside her. "So what's your name?"

"Eclipse." She said shortly.

Confused, Lightningpaw asked, "What's that?"

Eclipse turned her sharp eyes on him. "My father was a house ca- I mean kittypet. His housefolk were always staring at the sky at night, and he named me Eclipse. His housefolk had called the moon that disappeared a Lunar Eclipse. Whatever that means. When mother had me, he stayed with his housefolk other then us!" She finished bitterly.

Lightningpaw's eyes widened. "I remember stories about the moon that disappeared! They said it broke up a battle between all the Clans."

"Clans?" Eclipse asked confusedly.

Lightningpaw sighed. "Well there are four Clans around the lake. ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan and RiverClan. I live in ThunderClan, the best Clan. We're always fighting over territory and food and stuff."

"Why don't you just share it?" She asked obnoxiously.

"It would take too long to explain. Now back to training."

"Can we catch real prey now?" Eclipse asked hopefully.

"Not until you can stalk without a sound. And remember when stalking a mouse to keep your weight in your haunches." He replied.

"Can you tell me your name first?"

"No. You're still a rouge and I have no reason to trust you."

**Twist! What do you think'll happen between them? **

**Sorry it was so long but I needed to fit it all in Lightningpaw's perspective. And I'm not updating until I get at least ONE review! It seriouslt can't be that hard, I mean I KNOW at least one of you has followed this story! Thanks by the way!**

**And I'm going to post an updated allegiances with ThunderClan and the other Clans too so you don't get confused.**

ThunderClan

Leader: Bramblestar-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes. Mate to Squirrelflight.

Apprentice Owlpaw.

Deputy: Squirrelflight- Small, light-framed dark ginger she-cat with brilliant, forest green eyes, one white paw, short legs, a torn ear tip, sturdy muscles, glossy fur, and a long, squirrel-like, bushy tail. Lionblaze is temporarily in her place since she is nursing her kits.

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather-grey tabby tom with blind blue eyes.

Apprentice Briarlight-dark brown she-cat with crippled back legs.

Warriors:

Brackenfur-Golden brown tabby tom.

Apprentice Lightningpaw.

Cloudtail-Long haired white tom with blue eyes. Mate to Brightheart.

Brightheart-White she-cat with ginger patches.

Apprentice Fawnpaw.

Thornclaw-Golden brown tabby tom.

Apprentice Redpaw.

Leafpool-Light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat.

Spiderleg-Long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes.

Apprentice Flashpaw.

Birchfall-Light brown tabby tom. Mate to Whitewing.

Whitewing-White she-cat with green eyes.

Mousewhisker-Grey and white tom. Mate to Icecloud.

Apprentice Snowpaw.

Berrynose-Cream coloured tom. Mate to Poppyfrost.

Hazletail-Small grey and white she-cat.

Apprentice Dewpaw.

Poppyfrost-Tortoiseshell she-cat.

Apprentice Leopardpaw.

Lionblaze-Golden tabby tom with amber eyes. Mate to Cinderheart.

Foxleap-Reddish tabby tom.

Temporary apprentice Eaglepaw.

Rosepetal-Dark cream she-cat.

Apprentice Amberpaw.

Toadstep-Black-and-white tom.

Blossomfall-Dark brown she-cat.

Bumblestripe-Very pale grey tom with black stripes. Mate to Dovewing.

Apprentice Stormpaw.

Ivypool-Silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes.

Apprentice Wolfpaw.

Seednose-Very pale ginger she cat.

Lilyfrost-Dark tabby she cat with white patches.

Apprentices:

Snowpaw-white tom with amber eyes

Dewpaw-grey tom with amber eyes

Amberpaw-grey she cat with white markings and amber eyes

Lightningpaw-Yellow-gold tom with darker, jagged markings on his pelt. Bright, blue eyes. Excitable and eager.

Eaglepaw-Brown she cat with white and grey-black markings. White paws and tail tip. Amber eyes. Cool and relaxed.

Wolfpaw-Dark grey tom with a darker grey throat. White paws, ear, tail tip. Black other ear, markings on pelt. Silver-blue eyes. Kind and calm.

Leopardpaw-Gold-ginger she cat with brown spots. Amber eyes. Kind hearted and peppy.

Stormpaw-Dark grey tom with lighter grey muzzle and paw. Black stripe along spine. Green eyes. Kind and confident.

Redpaw-Red-ginger tom with white ear and paw. Green eyes. Cocky and fun. He and his littermates used to be rouges and were found as kits and brought into the Clan.

Flashpaw-White she cat with grey flecks. Deep blue eyes. Fiery personality.

Owlpaw-Small brown tom with black markings on his face and black paws. Sharp amber eyes. Shy and strong.

Fawnpaw-Brown she cat with darker brown flecks and white paws. Eager to learn and uncertain about her abilities.

Queens:

Dovewing-Nursing Bumblestripe's kits, Larkkit, Skykit and Grasskit.

Icecloud-Expecting Mousewhisker's kits.

Squirrelflight- Nursing Firekit and Jaggedkit who are just over five moons old.

Daisy-cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

Elders:

Purdy-plump tabby former loner with a grey muzzle

Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Greystripe-long-haired grey tom

Millie-striped grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Dustpelt-dark brown tabby tom

ShadowClan

Leader: Rowenstar-Ginger tom with blue eyes. Mate to Tawnypelt.

Deputy: Crowfrost- Black and white tom with ice blue eyes.

Medicine Cat: Littlecloud-Small brown tabby tom with light blue eyes and brown nose.

Apprentice Featherpaw.

Warriors:

Ratscar-Brown tom with long scar across his back.

Snowbird-Pure white she cat.

Tawnypelt-Tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes.

Olivenose-Tortoiseshell she cat.

Owlclaw-Light brown tabby tom.

Apprentice Acornpaw.

Scorchfur-Dark grey tom.

Tigerheart-Dark brown tabby tom.

Apprentice Duskpaw.

Dawnpelt-Cream furred she cat.

Pinenose-Black she cat.

Apprentice Patchpaw.

Ferretclaw-Cream and grey tom.

Starlingwing-Ginger tom.

Apprentices:

Duskpaw-Dark grey tom with light, creamy grey on his muzzle, back and paws. Blue eyes.

Acornpaw-Light grey she cat with darker grey on paws, back and ear. Brown eyes.

Patchpaw-White and grey tom. Green eyes.

Featherpaw-Light grey she cat with black patches on her pelt. Soft green eyes.

Queens:

Kinkfur nursing Lizardkit, Greykit, Sandkit and Pricklekit.

Ivytail-Expecting Owlclaw's kits.

Shrewfoot-Expecting Scorchfur's kits.

Elders:

Cedarheart-Dark grey tom.

Tallpoppy-Long legged light brown tabby she cat.

Oakfur-Small brown tom.

Smokefoot-Black tom.

Toadfoot-Dark brown tom.

Applefur-Mottled brown she cat.

WindClan

Leader: Onestar-Brown tabby tom.

Deputy: Gorsetail

Medicine Cat: Kestrelflight-Mottled grey tom.

Apprentice Swiftpaw.

Warriors:

Crowfeather-Dark grey tom.

Weaselfur-Ginger tom with white paws.

Herespring-Brown and white tom.

Leaftail-Dark tabby tom, amber eyes.

Emberfoot-Grey tom with two dark paws.

Heathertail-Light brown tabby she cat with blue eyes.

Sedgewhisker-Light brown tabby she cat.

Swallowtail-Dark grey she cat.

Sunstrike-Tortoiseshell she cat with a large white mark on her forehead.

Whiskertail-Light brown tom.

Furzelight-Grey and white she cat.

Bouldertail- Large pale grey tom.

Apprentices:

Rabbitpaw-Brown tom with black markings on his tail, paws, back and face with sparkling green eyes.

Fleetpaw-Identical to her brother except with blue eyes.

Mintpaw-White she cat with black and grey flecks. Deep green eyes.

Queens:

Swallowtail-Expecting Emberfoot's kits.

Elders:

Webfoot-Dark grey tabby tom.

Tornear-Tabby tom

Owlwhisker-Light brown tabby tom.

Whitetail-Small white she cat.

Nightcloud-Black she cat.

RiverClan

Leader: Mistystar-Grey she cat with blue eyes.

Deputy: Reedwhisker-Black tom.

Medicine Cat: Mothwing-Dappled golden she cat.

Apprentice Willowshine.

Warriors:

Mintfur-Light brown tabby tom.

Icewing-White she cat with blue eyes.

Minnowtail-Dark grey she cat.

Pebblefoot-Mottled grey tom.

Mallownose-Light brown tabby tom.

Robinwing-Tortoiseshell and white tom.

Petalfur-Grey and white she cat.

Grasspelt-Light brown tom.

Hollowflight-Dark brown tabby tom.

Troutstream-Pale grey tabby she cat.

Rushtail-Small light brown tabby she cat with short legs.

Apprentices:

Gingerpaw-Black she cat with ginger spots. Green eyes.

Marshpaw-Large, mottled brown tom with grey paws. Green eyes.

Queens:

Mosspelt-Nursing Splashkit and Heronkit

Elders:

Dapplenose-Mottled grey she cat.

Greymist-Pale grey tabby she cat.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 10

It was just passed dawn and the patrol had just left. Stormpaw padded over to the fresh kill pile until he suddenly felt a heavy weight on his back.

"Come on!" Firekit yowled joyfully to Jaggedkit as they clambered over Stormpaw. "Take that ShadowClan scum!"

"Oh no! The mighty ThunderClan warriors have defeated me! ShadowClan is weak, I surrender!" Stormpaw cried, laughing. Getting up, Firekit and Jaggedkit stepped off of him.

"Teach us the hunter's crouch!" Jaggedkit meowed. Stormpaw fell into it.

"You need to keep your tail still and your forepaws tucked in." He mewed as Firekit and Jaggedkit tried to copy his stance. Standing up, Stormpaw walked carefully around them. "Firekit, your flank's too high, lower it. And Jaggedkit, keep your head low." He ordered. They did so and looked like they were actually hunting, although they were wobbly on their paws, understandably, considering it felt weird for the first time.

"Now, stalk forward carefully, keeping your paws in check so they don't stand on a twig and your eyes and ears alert for any sign of prey, then leap." Firekit and Jaggedkit whispered quietly for a few moments and then neatly stalked forward and leaped on top of Bramblestar, their father.

Bramblestar yowled in surprise and fell to the ground. "We're the best hunters in the whole forest!" Yowled Firekit triumphantly. Bramblestar laughed and stood up tall, the kits falling to the ground. "When can we be apprentices?" Firekit asked.

"When you're ready." Bramblestar told them. "You're not even five moons and a half yet!" He added jokingly.

"But we nearly are! Can Lionblaze be my mentor?" Jaggedkit asked eagerly.

Laughing, Bramblestar mewed gently, "We'll see, now run along."

Firekit and Jaggedkit scampered over to the Halfrock where Eaglepaw, Leopardpaw, Snowpaw and Dewpaw were enjoying their fresh kill. Wolfpaw was padding over to them with a thrush in his jaws and Amberpaw had left with the dawn patrol. _Where's Lightningpaw?_

He followed the kits over to the Halfrock to where the apprentices were. "Has anybody seen Lightningpaw? I haven't seen him today.

"Last time I saw him was last night." Eaglepaw told him. "He said he was going out for a walk and not to worry." Stormpaw noticed the worry in her eyes and mewed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he just went hunting or something." He know he hadn't reassured her, but he padded quickly over to the thorn tunnel. "Lionblaze!" He called over to the temporary deputy. "Can I join up with the dawn patrol?"

Lionblaze looked over and seemed to consider this for a moment before calling back, "Okay, if you don't find them come straight back to camp!" Stormpaw nodded and headed out through the tunnel. He had no intention of joining the patrol, he needed to find his brother.

Sniffing around on the earthy ground, he picked up a faint and stale scent of Lightningpaw. He followed it carefully, losing it at times where he had leaped through a puddle. It became stronger as he neared the edge of the territory. _What's he doing here?_

Just as he was about to enter some bushes, Lightningpaw padded out, fur ruffled and eyes heavy with tiredness. "Lightningpaw!" He exclaimed running up to his brother. Lightningpaw leaped back in shock.

"What are you doing here?" Lightningpaw asked.

"No one had seen you since last night, so I followed your scent trail. What were _you _doing here?"

Lightningpaw shuffled his paws guiltily. "I went for a walk last night, and I must have fallen asleep." Sniffing his fur, Stormpaw picked up another cat scent.

Wrinkling his nose he spat, "And who's that?"

"I chased off a rouge last night." Lightningpaw replied wearily. "Let's go back to camp."

Stormpaw nodded, glad to have found his brother. "Let's catch up with the dawn patrol, Lionblaze thinks I went to find them. And you'd better tell them about that rouge so it doesn't come back." Lightningpaw nodded and was just about to sprint off when a sneeze and a muffled hiss sounded behind them. Turning around, Stormpaw spotted a flash of ginger and grey tabby fur. _Firekit and Jaggedkit._

"What are you doing out here?" Lightningpaw called from beside him. There was silence before the two kits guiltily padded out from beneath a juniper bush.

"We just wanted to see the forest." Jaggedkit mewed.

"And see where Lightningpaw was." Firekit added. Sighing, Stormpaw padded towards them.

"Come on, let's get you back to camp."

"But that's not fair! You and your littermates left when you were kits!" Firekit mewed indignantly.

"To be fair," Lightningpaw called over, "We _were_ half a moon older."

Jaggedkit nudged his brother and they both walked over to them. "Come on then." Firekit mewed irritably.

However, when they started moving, Firekit and Jaggedkit's moods soon turned to one of excitement, sniffing every new plant and scent they came across.

When they neared camp, yowling and running could be heard from inside. Exchanging a look, Stormpaw and Lightningpaw pelted forwards with Firekit and Jaggedkit struggling to keep up in their wake. When they emerged from the thorn tunnel, cats were pacing restlessly while others ran around frantically.

"What's going on?" Stormpaw asked Eaglepaw, who was running over to the nursery.

"Dovewing's and Squirrelflight's kits are gone!" She wailed. He knew how attached she was to Dovewing's kits, having named one herself.

"We're here!" Firekit and Jaggedkit yowled, racing over from the thorn tunnel. Eaglepaw sighed in relief.

"Do you know where Dovewing's kits are?" She asked anxiously. They shook their heads and Eaglepaw turned and raced over to the nursery.

"You'd better get in there." Stormpaw told them. They nodded and followed Eaglepaw into the nursery.

"Lightningpaw!" Lionblaze yowled from underneath Highledge. "I need you to join the search party outside of camp. Just follow the scent trail." Lightningpaw nodded and raced outside of camp. "Stormpaw, help look inside camp."

He nodded and padded over to the nursery. "Fox! It was a fox!" Dovewing was yelling frantically.

"Where?" Stormpaw asked anxiously.

Dovewing didn't reply. Instead she dashed over to the back of the nursery where the putrid stench of fox reached his nose. Dovewing went silent for a few moments, ears pricked, nose twitching, fur brushing. Finally, "Come on, go! Around by the ShadowClan border! Now!" She yelled.

Bewildered, Stormpaw scrabbled to get to the entrance where Dovewing raced passed him, intent on finding her kits. As he padded through the thorn tunnel and appeared at the other side, Dovewing was pelting off into the forest.

Stormpaw started to follow her but was intercepted by a flash of yellow fur. "Lightningpaw!" He yowled. "What is it?" He then grumbled impatiently.

"What's happening? Where's Dovewing going?" Lightningpaw demanded.

"To find her kits now get the patrol and scent us out!" Stormpaw told him. Lightningpaw nodded and ran quickly back into the forest. Stormpaw then set off at a brisk pace, now having to follow Dovewing's scent to find her again. After walking for a while, he smelled the fox. Bursting forward, he saw a ShadowClan patrol slashing at the fox with Dovewing at the front. After a moment of bewilderment, he noticed the kits safely tucked behind the ShadowClan patrol.

Just when Stormpaw was about to leap forward, he heard a snarl from behind him. _Another one! _The second fox leaped at Stormpaw, who tried to jump out of the way but was still caught by the paw. Falling to the ground in a yowl of pain, he stood up, but found it hard to put weight on his leg. Stormpaw snarled threateningly, hoping to keep it at bay, but the fox just barked louder, and got down into what looked like a hunters crouch.

_I need to do something! _He thought. Glancing around, Stormpaw saw a huge rock, much larger than the fox itself. Slowly circling around, he made the fox turn so its back was to the rock. He leaped, trying to ignore the pain in his leg. The fox jumped back in shock, and scraped its back roughly off the side if the rock; Stormpaw dashed in and raked his claws across its muzzle. The fox howled in pain before snarling defiance at him. It leaped.

With Stormpaw's injured leg, he couldn't find the strength in it to leap out of the way. The fox pinned him down and bit roughly at his ear. Stormpaw cried out and scrabbled his back legs at the fox's underbelly, to no use.

Suddenly, the fox's weight was thrown from him as a new patrol of warriors pushed it back. Staggering to his paws, he realised Lightningpaw's patrol, containing Brackenfur, Cloudtail, Cinderheart and Snowpaw.

Stormpaw backed away from the fox, trying to see where Dovewing and the other fox had gotten to. Turning around, he saw the ShadowClan patrol chasing it away and the second fox getting chased off by ThunderClan. Stormpaw started following the ThunderClan patrol. If the fox turned on them they would need a messenger to report to the Clan, but a voice behind him stopped him.

"So these are our kits?" Stormpaw stood rigid, crouching low, he peered over to see that same tabby brown tom that had been on Rowenstar's patrol to their camp.

Dovewing stood there, staring at him. "I don't think you have ant right to call them yours." She whispered.

"I'm sorry, for what happened in the battle. At first, I thought they were Bumblestripe's, but now that I've seen them..." he trailed off. "A father can always tell." _Father!_

"They are more Bumblestripe's then yours, I love him, he has been a wonderful father. Goodbye, Tigerheart."

**Did you like it? Tell me in the reviews! **

**Have any of you read "Protectors"? It's another fanfiction I made up. Plus I started a forum, "The Eagle's haze" you should check them out!**

**-Eaglehaze.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 11

_Father? Tigerheart, a ShadowClan warrior, is Dovewing's kit's father?_ That was all Stormpaw could think as he continued to lay there. Dovewing stood still as the ShadowClan warrior left with the ShadowClan patrol, and crossed the border. _What should I do? Should I confront her? Should I keep it a secret? _The entire journey back to camp he thought these things.

Stormpaw followed Dovewing into the nursery when they got back. Eaglepaw was awaiting them quietly. When she saw them enter her eyes lit up and she bounded forwards. "Are they okay? Where were they? Did you drive the fox off?" She asked anxiously.

"Yes, they're fine." Dovewing answered. "A ShadowClan patrol found the fox and helped to drive it off. In fact there were two, one of them attacked Stormpaw until a ThunderClan patrol helped him out." Eaglepaw's whiskers twitched in amusement.

"But you should know what it's like, right Eaglepaw?" Stormpaw asked her innocently, "having the exact same thing happen to you a few moons ago?"

"Yeah but I was less experienced. You've had way more training then we did a few moons ago." She pointed out.

"But you can't expect even a warrior to fight off a full grown fox on their own!" Stormpaw defended irritably.

"Lionblaze did..."

"Now that's enough." Dovewing snapped as she settled into her nest with her kits huddled into her. "If you're going to fight, fight outside!"

Stormpaw grumbled but did as he was told. However, he wasn't sure if he could ever believe her again.

"Stormpaw!" A voice sounded. It was Bumblestripe. "How did it go? Did you find the kits?" He asked anxiously. Stormpaw felt his heart break for his mentor. Imagine if he found out the truth! _I couldn't do that to him!_

"Yes, they're fine." I told him.

Bumblestripe sniffed at his scratches. "What happened to you?"

"Oh um, well it was a fox that took your kits. A ShadowClan patrol fought it off but, there was another one and it um... attacked me."

"Did you do well?"

"Oh yes, he did brilliantly." Cloudtail commented as he walked by. "You know we watched your fight with the fox, before we chased it off. It was very impressive." Stormpaw ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Well done. Now get those scratches cleared up and then you can have the rest of the day off." Stormpaw dipped his head and limped into the medicine den. "Now Cinderheart, you're going to need to take it easy for the rest of the day. No battle training and if it starts to hurt again come straight to me." Jayfeather ordered. Cinderheart thanked him and padded out of the den. She brushed against Stormpaw, "Well done, I'm so proud of you!" She whispered before going over to join Lionblaze.

"Well come here then." Jayfeather snapped. Stormpaw twitched his whiskers and padded over to stand in front of him. Jayfeather sniffed him over. "Brierlight! Get some cobwebs, marigold and catch weed!" He called in to his apprentice.

Brierlight scurried over with the acquired herbs. Jayfeather sniffed them each before getting to work. He made Brierlight chew up the marigold while Jayfeather checked out Stormpaw's injured paw. He bound cobwebs carefully around it and told Stormpaw to stay off of it as much as possible before slapping on the marigold to his scratches.

"Stay in camp. Come and see me again tomorrow and we'll see if you can start getting back to your apprentice duties." He snapped. Stormpaw dipped his head in thanks before remembering that Jayfeather couldn't see him and then muttered, "Thanks." Before limping out on three legs.

He looked over to the nursery. _Now there's that to worry about. I bet Bumblestripe would be crushed if I told him, and the Clan would probably shun Dovewing and her kits. I couldn't do that to them. But I will talk to Dovewing about it. _He decided. He quickly padded over to the nursery and saw Dovewing lying down with her kits suckling at her belly, her gentle gaze flitting over each.

"Dovewing," He began, nervousness beginning to gnaw at his stomach. Dovewing looked up. "Um... who's the real father of these kits?"

Dovewing's eyes glazed over with panic for a heartbeat, so fast he wasn't even sure if it was there before she replied calmly, "Bumblestripe, why would you ask?"

"Because I'll start finding it hard to trust you if you keep lying to me." Stormpaw told her.

Dovewing sighed. "I'm not lying to you Stormpaw, Bumblestripe is the true father of these kits now. Tigerheart may once have been. But Bumblestripe is the true father. Just, _don't _tell anyone, please." She added, fear in her eyes. "It would just cause pain for everyone, and I haven't met with Tigerheart in moons..." She trailed off.

"I wont tell. I couldn't do that to my mentor, or innocent. But because of you, if the Clan finds out, these kits will be shunned. You could be cast out. You might even lose your mate. Depending on which one." Stormpaw snarled, storming out of the den before Dovewing could comment.

He padded into the empty apprentice den and fell into an uneasy sleep.

**Sorry it was so short but there wasn't really any other thing I could write. And sorry it took so long and thanks for the reviews! Keep them up! **

**You should really have a look at the Eagle's haze because we really need more members. Just have a little look?**

**-Eaglehaze**


End file.
